Blood Relations
by frodoschick
Summary: What would have happened if Child Protection Services had been called on the Dursleys? Life changes, not only for Harry, but for Dudley as well. Dudley AU. Rating may change.
1. Where Everything Gets Ruined

Just a bit of AU thinking that got out of hand after a night of Butterbeer and Felix cocktails. Was originally one way and morphed into something else, kinda like a Metamorphmagus. I have taken a lot of liberties with the way that the legal system works in this universe (especially from a child's point of view) and if you have any questions, ask me, but the answer may very well be "MAGIC.", "unreliable narrator" or "I have no earthly idea, I'm making s*** up as I go." Anyway, I own nothing and never have. Wotcher and enjoy. Thank you.

* * *

Dudley Dursley was in shock. He glared at the backs of the heads of the men who were sitting in the front seats of the van. He didn't know why his tantrum wasn't working. He had screamed himself blue, refused to walk with the men in the suits when they wanted him to walk, hit his cousin, his mother, the men and been sick on purpose. They had simply put him in the back of the van and put Harry in the seat next to him. They had loaded a few suitcases and then they were off and driving, leaving his house far behind him. He started to kick the seat in front of him. The men made no notice of his kicks. He glared across the way at his cousin. This was all his fault. He knew it was. Harry always ruined everything. Harry didn't even look at him, just stared out of the window.

Dudley slumped down in his seat and continued to kick the seat in front of him. Yes, Harry ruined everything. He had even ruined school. Dudley had been having a great time in his first year at primary school. He was getting good marks on his papers, gold stars. His mother helped him with any homework he had and he enjoyed asserting himself on the playground. He always made sure that he had the best swings or was first down the slide. And he made sure that nobody in his class or the other classes liked his cousin. He was an oddball, and if his parents hated him, they had to have a good reason. Everything was going great, until that stupid family tree assignment.

Their teacher was Ms. Plumridge, a pretty young woman with brown hair that kept flopping out of her bun into her eyes (his mother had made comments about how she never looked as tidy as a teacher should). She had given them all a sheet of paper with a tree on it and had told them to fill it out with the branches of their families. Dudley had come back with a gorgeous tree, outlining his family all the way back past the first World War. He had sneered at Harry's attempt to fill out his tree. Just two small dots. Dudley had laughed at him, especially when his mother made Harry erase Dudley and his family from his branches. It had been really funny. What happened next, though, hadn't been funny.

Men in black suits and men in funny looking clothes had both come to school and had talked to Harry. Dudley had been slightly jealous and skeptical. Why were they talking to his cousin? He had told his Father who had demanded to know what the men wanted to talk to Harry about and when Dudley had shrugged and said, "Who cares?", his Father had boxed him about the ears and sent him to get Harry from his cupboard under the stairs. Dudley had socked Harry, before making him go to his Father. The yelling that came after that had made Dudley feel slightly sick. Things happened very fast after that.

Suddenly, Harry was in his second bedroom, with his extra toys and things and his Father was making him repeat that Harry had always had the second bedroom and that he was his cousin's best friend. His Father had been very scary when he had told him this, getting purple in the face and his mustache bristling with every consonant. Dudley had said the script just right when the men in the black suits had come to visit, but something had gone wrong. He just knew that Harry had screwed it all up. He always screwed everything up. Now he was sitting in the back of a van instead of his room, the echos of his Mother's sobs still ringing uneasily in his ears. They drove for a while, before pulling into a quiet street.

The van pulled up beside a small white house with a neat yard and blue shutters. There were big trees in the yard, and hedges along the fence. The men got out and opened the door. Dudley refused to move.

"I want to go home!" he shouted at the men, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest. The men sighed and pulled him out, unbuckling his seatbelt as they did so. Harry followed quietly, looking pale and nervous. Dudley started up a screaming fit again. "I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go HOME!" One of the men seized his upper arm and half dragged, half walked him up the stone walkway to the front door. Harry followed behind them, with the other man starting to get the luggage out of the van. The man rang the doorbell as Dudley kicked and screamed. The door swung open and the woman standing there shocked Dudley into silence. It was his teacher, Ms. Plumridge.

She smiled warmly at them and opened the door all the way. "Hello!" Today she was wearing a floral frock right out of the 1950's. Dudley thought it made her look frumpy. The man escorted Dudley and Harry inside the house. Dudley's first impression was that it was really simple. No lace on the tables or ornate ornaments on the walls. She had simple pictures of birds in the entryway. She lead them into the living room where lemonade and biscuits were waiting on the coffee table. The man deposited Dudley on the couch and Harry sat on the far side, as far from his cousin as he could get while still being on the same piece of furniture.

"Where do you want the luggage, ma'am?" The other man called down the short hallway.

Ms. Plumridge called back, "I'll be right there!" before smiling at Dudley and Harry. "Help yourselves to the snacks." She said with a smile. "I'm going to go take care of the luggage." She bustled off. Dudley immediately started stuffing his face with the biscuits. Harry didn't move to touch them. Dudley glared at him. He swallowed slowly.

"This is all your fault." he said, his mouth still full of crumbs. Harry jumped slightly. Dudley felt a savage sense of pleasure at seeing his cousin scared of him. "It's all your fault, I don't know what you did, but you'll pay for it."

"I didn't do anything." Harry said, his hands gripping his knees. "I just told the truth."

"You liar." Dudley snarled, lifting his hand to curl it into a fist. Harry flinched backwards just as Ms. Plumridge re-entered the room.

"Dudley!" She scolded gently, hurrying forward. "What is going on?"

"Nothing." Dudley snapped, grabbing another biscuit.

Ms. Plumridge didn't buy it. She sat herself in a small armchair opposite the couch and looked at them. "Are you guys doing okay?" Dudley didn't say anything. Neither did Harry. Dudley wanted to punch that look off of his cousin's face. They wouldn't be here for long, he had to go home at some point. "I understand that this might seem really scary and different, guys. But I'm really happy that you'll both be staying with me for a while."

Dudley felt something cold grip at his insides. _What? _

Ms. Plumridge continued. "I've got a bedroom set up for both of you. With beds and dressers and things. I've put your suitcases in your rooms."

Dudley felt anger or fear or sick rising in his stomach. He felt like he was going to be sick again, this time not on purpose.

"I'll be working with the Child Protection Services and the MoM to adopt you both, actually."

Dudley didn't understand. What did she mean, adopt?

"I know it'll take a while to settle in and everything, and I'll do my best to be here for you both."

Dudley didn't know where this was going. What did she mean? Why couldn't he go home? Before he knew it, the feelings welling up inside of him burst forth in a huge, screaming fit. He kicked and flailed his arms, real tears flying from his eyes as he screamed himself hoarse. Ms. Plumridge let him scream for a moment or two, but then she was kneeling in front of him and had her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to stop flailing his arms. He screamed in her face. She raised her voice slightly.

"That's enough, Dudley!"

Dudley stopped screaming to get a breath to keep screaming, but stopped at the look in her eyes.

"That's enough of that, Dudley. You don't want to make yourself sick, do you?"

Actually, he did. Very much so. But she was pressing his arms down and looking him in the eyes. He didn't feel like he dared.

"That's better." She said with a small smile. "Dudley, the first rule in our home is the same as in our classroom. You need to use your words and your inside voice." Dudley swallowed and let off a loud hiccup. Ms. Plumridge smiled again and handed him a glass of lemonade. He gulped it down, which made his hiccups worse. He thought he heard Harry chuckle, but knew that Harry didn't dare laugh at him. Not if he wanted a punch.

"What's going on?" Dudley demanded through his hiccups, glaring at Ms. Plumridge. "I want to go home!"

Ms. Plumridge's smile faltered. "Dudley, this is your home right now." She said, trying to have him meet her eyes. "I'm now your guardian."

"But I want to go home!" Dudley yelled. It wouldn't be long. His tantrums always worked.

* * *

Dudley lay on his new bed. The entire summer had gone by and he still wasn't home. He had slowly stopped throwing tantrums every day. They just weren't working. Ms. Plumridge always stopped him and made him use his inside voice. He glanced at his window and saw that the sun was starting to go down. He kept laying on his bed. Lately, he hadn't felt like doing anything. Even eating. Ms. Plumridge kept trying to tempt him with chicken and ham pie, but he just threw it away and said it wasn't like his Mother's. He heard Ms. Plumridge call that dinner was ready. Dudley heard Harry jump up and run down the hall. He grumpily turned over in his bed. He didn't care.

"Dudley?" Ms. Plumridge called gently, opening his bedroom door. "Aren't you hungry?"

He ignored her, pretending to be asleep. She softly closed the door again. He rolled over and sat up, reaching underneath his bed. He pulled a backpack out with his favorite things stuffed inside of it and put it on his back. He walked over and after climbing onto his desk, opened his window. He was going home. He paused, hiking up his pants. He wanted his Mother to take him shopping. None of his clothes fit anymore.

He jumped down into the side yard, somehow managing to fall on his bottom. He scrambled upright, trying his hardest not to make a sound. He snuck out of the side yard and to the hedges along the side of the yard, tiptoeing along to get out of the yard unseen. Just as he set his foot onto the sidewalk, the front door opened.

"Dudley!" Ms. Plumridge called after him, starting to hurry across the yard to him. He felt the briefest inclination to run. But that didn't last long. He didn't like running, he got really tired, really quickly. He just sat down on the cooling concrete and started to cry again. Ms. Plumridge quickly caught up and she knelt on the grass next to him and tried to pull him into a hug. He shoved her away and ran back to the house. He wanted to go home.

* * *

Dudley sat in the corner, glowering at the brightly colored living room and dining room, which had been festooned in balloons and streamers. The house was filled with people, a lot of them teachers from school, an old couple who were Ms. Plumridge's parents and a strange little man in a violet top hat. They were here for the adoption/birthday party.

Ms. Plumridge had come home a few days ago, beaming from ear to ear. "The paperwork has been signed and approved!" she shared with them. "I've officially adopted you!"

Harry had shouted happily and tackle hugged Ms. Plumridge while Dudley just sat in his seat. Why hadn't his parents stopped the papers? Why hadn't they stepped in to say that he was theirs? Why weren't they coming for him? While Harry and Ms. Plumridge had celebrated and planned the party, Dudley felt sick and hollow.

Where were his parents?

"Come on, Dudley!" Harry shouted happily, coming over to him. Dudley glared at him. He thought Harry looked stupid with a party hat on his head. "Let's blow out the candles!"

"Blow 'em out yourself." Dudley snapped sourly. "And you look stupid."

Harry's smile fell, but he shrugged and turned away, running back to Ms. Plumridge who picked him up and stood him on a dining room chair. A few people looked towards Dudley and gestured for him to join Harry at the table. He glared at them and wedged himself more firmly into his seat. Ms. Plumridge shook her head at them and said something quietly. They nodded and sighed. Dudley huffed to himself. He didn't want to join them. He wanted to go home. He wanted his Mother's birthday cake made just for him and his mountain of presents. He wanted his old room back, he wanted his cousin back under the stairs. He hated it here. He hated it.

He glared as he watched Harry take a big breath and blow out the candles on one of the cakes on the dining room table. He let the other candles simply burn themselves down until they were puddles of wax on top of the frosting.

* * *

Dudley had run away again.

This time, he had run away while he was at school. Ms. Plumridge couldn't stop him while she was teaching her class. He had a new teacher this year and she let him do whatever he wanted, pretty much. He just said that he had to go to the loo and took the hall pass with him. He had walked past the loo, past the front doors and kept walking. He had started running once he was past the front gate. He had run for a block or two, just to put a lot of room between him and the school. Once he was fairly sure that no-one was following him, he had slowed to a walk. He had even stopped in a convenience store and gotten himself a bag of crisps and a chocolate bar.

He walked through the town, trying to follow the path that he thought that his old school bus had taken, trying to retrace the path to his mother's house. Number 4, Privet Drive. He didn't want to admit it, but he was horribly lost. He didn't recognize anything. And when he asked a dog walker if she knew where Privet Drive was, she shook her head. So he kept wandering in the direction that he thought was the right way. He'd find it eventually. It was nearing dusk when he finally spotted a landmark that he recognized. The park. From there, it was a simple matter of taking the sidewalk and he'd be home in no-time.

He felt his heart lift for the first time in months when he saw his house. It was lit up like Bonfire Night, bright gold and red from the setting sun. He thought it looked beautiful. He ran up the less than neat walkway and hammered his chubby little fists on the front door. He fully expected his Mother to throw open the door, spot him and start crying with joy. He'd go in, she'd have dinner ready and his Father would pat him on the head and everything would be as it was before. He knocked again. Still no answer. With a sickening feeling, his heart started sinking. He walked over to the front window, as if in a daze, and looked in. It was dark. He could barely make out the shapes of the furniture sitting there. There were no lights anywhere in the house. Then he spotted it.

"_Rooms for Rent, Inquire Within_" read the small white sign in the corner of the window.

It hit him like a lightning bolt. His mother wasn't home. His father wasn't home. This...wasn't his home...anymore. He stumbled away from the house, reeling from the shock. He sat down on the sidewalk and screwed up his face. But the tears and the screams wouldn't come. What once came so easily was absent now. He kicked his feet, pretending for a moment that he was crying, then stopping when nothing came out again. He slowly stood up, looked back at his house which was now dark and dismal, then turned away and started to trudge up the street.

He didn't know how long he wandered about in the dark, but suddenly there was a police car there and the police man was stopping him, kneeling in front of him, asking him if he was okay. Dudley didn't know. He was put in the front seat of the police car and heard the police man call into his station that he had found "the missing boy". Dudley didn't know that he was missing. The police man drove him back to Ms. Plumridge's house. She came running up from the house, in jeans and a pink nightshirt. She fell to her knees in front of Dudley and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, sobbing into his shoulder.

"Dudley, oh Dudley, I've been so worried!" Then she suddenly pulled back, gripped his shoulders and glared at him. He was startled by the fierceness of the glare. "Don't you ever do that again, young man! You are grounded. For a month. Maybe more!" Then her eyes welled up again and she pulled him back into a hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

The police man chuckled and helped Ms. Plumridge to her feet. "Everything's alright ma'am. Take him inside now, I think the lad's peckish." Dudley's stomach chose that moment to growl, causing Ms. Plumridge to laugh as she wiped her eyes.

"Com'n, Dudley. I've kept your dinner warm."

And she took him back to the house. She was as good as her word, his meatballs and onion sauce over mashed potatoes were warm from the oven. She even let him eat in the living room, on the couch, while watching the telly. She sat next to him on the couch, her hands gripping a mug of coffee with some sort of cream that she had said was for grown-ups stirred in. He ate in silence. She smiled at him. Then, out of no-where, he burst into actual tears.

"Dudley, what's wrong?" she asked, immediately putting down her cup and wrapping an arm about him.

"W-where's my MOM?!" Dudley wailed, burying his fists into his eyes to try to stop the flow. "Where's m-my Dad? W-Why weren't they t-THERE?!"

Ms. Plumridge hurried and got tissues from the kitchen and as she sat there, dabbing at his eyes and nose, she slowly explained things that Dudley didn't quite grasp. But he learned things. He learned what phrases such as "_emotional and mental abuse_" meant and why his parents weren't there. Vernon Dursley had been arrested the day that the government officials had pulled Dudley and Harry from the house. As far as Ms. Plumridge knew, he would be in jail for a very long time.

"S-So, it's all H-Harry's fault!" Dudley snuffled. He knew it! Ms. Plumridge took him firmly by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. He knew by now that he had to listen to what she had to say when she did this.

"No, Dudley. It is not Harry's fault." As Dudley opened his mouth to protest, Ms. Plumridge went on, "Harry did not ask for nor did he deserve the way that your Mother and Father treated him. They were abusing him, Dudley. At the cost of you." Dudley's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "You both had to be pulled from there. It was deemed by two organizations to be a toxic environment, unsuitable for you two." Dudley's mouth closed. He had stopped crying.

"So...I'll never see my mom or dad again?"

"Not necessarily." she said gently, letting him relax against the couch. "There are ways that they can set up meetings in a few years, to see you. They just can't right now. The courts won't let them. They all want you and Harry to heal. You know?"

No, Dudley didn't know. But he pretended that he did and nodded. "Okay, Ms. Plumridge."

"Call me Miranda." She said with a smile. Dudley nodded again and slowly fell asleep, the telly talking about the strange animals of the rain forests in Brazil.

* * *

It was getting close to their third year of primary school. Miranda took both Dudley and Harry shopping for new clothes. Dudley's were still too big for him and Harry's were too small. They got new uniform trousers and shirts, with blazers bought ahead of the cold months. Miranda also treated them to new jeans and shirts to wear at home. Dudley got a t-shirt with his favorite telly superhero on it, Harry wanted one that had owls all over it. Dudley thought it looked stupid, but he told his cousin that the birds were cool. Dudley was determined to turn over a new leaf this year. Start all over. His marks last year had been atrocious and Miranda had taken to tutoring him in her classroom after hours. Dudley didn't want to be the big dummy everyone thought he was. He also...didn't want to be the bully anymore. His Dad had been a bully...and now he was in jail. Dudley didn't want that to happen to him.

So when school started, Dudley sat in the middle of the class now. He paid attention to what the teacher was teaching and even took notes. He asked questions when something didn't make sense. He didn't get the best marks in the class, but at least he wasn't at the bottom anymore. Harry still attracted trouble, Pierce had picked up where Dudley left off. Pierce and his gang bullied Harry for looking different, for having glasses, for being smarter than them, for anything that they could think of. Dudley watched them and felt just sick. Had he been like that?

So Dudley got himself new friends. They hung out at the playground and did things like play kickball or charades. He liked them a lot. It was no surprise to him that more and more kids wanted to join in the games or hang out with him. His circle of friends grew and grew. It was a surprise, however, to see them really take his suggestions into deep consideration and to have a lot of them coming to him for advice. If he said something was stupid, it was stupid. If he said something was cool, it was cool. He found himself with birthday parties to attend almost every other week and his friends were constantly inviting him to come do something with them.

He liked this feeling of popularity. It suited him.

* * *

It wasn't until the summer after their fourth year that Dudley began to notice funny little things happening. They weren't big things, otherwise he probably would have noticed them sooner. Funny little things, like snakes that always appeared in the garden when Harry was around. The fact that Harry's hair was always thick and spikey and flopping into his eyes, even after a trip to the barbers. The biggest thing, though, was Dudley's glass of water.

Dudley had taken to getting a glass of water and keeping it in his room while he did his homework at his desk. Sometimes, he left it just out of reach by accident, but it would suddenly be just within reach when he noticed it next. It was a small thing at first, he simply thought he wasn't remembering where he left it and had always had it really close. But just to be sure, one day he left it on the edge of his desk before he started his homework. A few math problems in and it was right back in reach. He hadn't seen it move. He hadn't grabbed it. But there it was. Right where he could reach it.

He picked up the glass of water and carefully took it over to the dresser and placed it right on the top. "There." he said to himself. "Let's see you move now." He turned and went back to his desk. He hadn't even started his math problems when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and his glass of water was sitting there, the water still quivering. He let out a loud yelp and when Miranda came running, said that he had spotted a bug. He had gotten it though. She smiled.

"Dinner will be ready soon, okay?"

Dudley nodded. He could already smell the beef. Miranda closed his door and he looked back at the glass of water. _It was official_, he thought. _Ghosts_.

He didn't leave his glass of water out of arms reach again.

* * *

Dudley felt himself getting more and more excited as his eleventh birthday approached. Miranda had been hinting heavily at a joint surprise this year. Because his and Harry's birthdays were so close together, only five weeks apart, Miranda loved to throw them a joint birthday party. One year, it had been space themed with a planet craft (Dudley still had his Saturn somewhere in his closet), one year it had been a large scavenger hunt across the neighborhood, last year it had been a trip to the movies with two of their friends. A few years, though, it had been as simple as two cakes and an afternoon of games. Dudley understood that Miranda didn't have a lot of money, but she really tried to make it special for them. Dudley was grateful for that.

June 23rd was relatively quiet. He had his usual birthday breakfast of waffles, bacon and fried tomatoes. He opened his presents at a small party with the family that night. Miranda's parents had gotten him that remote control toy truck he'd been wanting for weeks. He and Harry spent the evening playing with it on the sidewalk. Harry built up ramps and obstacles while Dudley steered. He even let Harry have a go with it. Late that night, however, he lay awake, looking at the moon through the slats in his blinds. He wondered why he still hadn't gotten a birthday card from his Mother. She'd always made sure to send it before his birthday and it always had a small cash gift that he would add to his piggy bank. This year...no card. He couldn't help feeling disappointed.

It was a few weeks before Harry's birthday when Miranda announced one day that she'd be taking them to the Zoo the next day. He and Harry cheered, they loved the Zoo. Dudley's favorites were the reptiles, Harry loved the lions and tigers. The next day dawned bright and once they got to the Zoo, it was hot. Dudley bought himself a chocolate ice-cream from his allowance money and Harry got himself a lemon ice pop with his. Miranda got them their tickets and they spent a fantastic morning wandering around the Zoo, looking at the monkeys and exotic birds, reciting their scientific classification names as far back as they could go. Dudley could do species, genus and sometimes family.

Miranda got them hot dogs for lunch and they ate them quickly. Food wasn't allowed in the reptile house. When they entered, he and Harry quickly found their favorite. The boa constrictor.

"Boa." They recited together. "Boinae, boidae."

"Very good, boys." Miranda smiled. "You'll be regular zoologists at this rate."

They beamed at her compliment. Dudley and Harry watched the boa for a little bit, but because it was the middle of the day, the boa wasn't very active. Dudley wandered away and started looking at other species. He was watching a funny green iguana climb a branch in it's enclosure when people close to the snakes started screaming and running for the exit. Dudley looked towards the commotion and wondered what was wrong with the picture that he was seeing. Then it hit him. His cousin was in the boa constrictor's enclosure. Both the glass and snake were gone.

Miranda made a cup of strong tea for the Head Zookeeper, who sat in his office, trembling. "Where did the glass go?" he kept saying, gripping his cup. Dudley didn't know how she did it, but she managed to convince him and they were on their way home an hour later. The car ride was very quiet.

"Is the boa going to be okay?" Dudley eventually asked. Harry nodded.

"Yeah, it'll be fine."

"I wonder where it was headed." Dudley wondered, looking out at the passing world as they drove down the road towards their house.

"She was going to Brazil." Harry said with a smile. "She'd never been there before."

Dead silence filled the car. Then Miranda pulled a little too quickly into their driveway and as she threw the car into "park", they both stared at Harry.

"How do you know that?" Miranda asked him quietly.

Harry shrugged. "We had a conversation. She likes talking to me."

Dudley felt his jaw drop a little. He stared at his cousin, crazy thoughts of insanity or overactive imagination racing through his mind. Was Harry dangerous? Was he okay? "..." He just couldn't find anything to say.

"Well, you certainly have an active imagination, Harry!" Miranda laughed. "I almost believed you for a second!" She continued laughing. Eventually Dudley started to chuckle too and then Harry joined in. They all sat there in the car, locked in the hysterical laughter that comes from an adventure like that afternoon's. Dudley reached over and gave Harry a playful punch on the shoulder. Harry pretended to fall over, dramatically twitching. Dudley clutched his sides, tears leaking from his eyes, laughter just filling the car. "Com'n, boys." Miranda said, grinning back at them. "Who wants pizza?!"

"I do!" Dudley and Harry chorused together, leaping from the car and racing each other up to the front door. They threw open the door to find two envelopes on the welcome mat.

"Mail!" Harry shouted, grabbing up the two envelopes. Dudley pulled at his arm, wanting to see who they were addressed to. He was still hoping that his Mother's card would come. His heart fell slightly when he saw that one was addressed to "_Mr. H. Potter...The Second Bedroom...Number 7 Primrose Way...Little Whinging, Surrey_" in glimmering green ink. He sighed.

"That's a weird way to write an address." he muttered, pushing past Harry a bit, moving into the entry hall.

"Hey, wait a second!" Harry said, looking at the second envelope. "D, this is for you." He held it out. Dudley quickly turned about and grabbed the envelope. The first thing he noticed, with a sick feeling, it wasn't his mother's writing. It was the same glimmering green that was on Harry's envelope. He looked quizzically at the address. It was addressed to "_Mr. D. Dursley...The First Bedroom...Number 7 Primrose Way, Little Whinging, Surrey._"

"I wonder who's writing to us..." He murmured, turning the letter over and over in his hands.

"I was wondering when those would come." Miranda said from behind them. They both turned and looked at her, the same wondering surprise in their eyes. "I think we'd better go into the living room, boys. We're going to be having a long talk."

* * *

Author's Notes: MoM is the Ministry of Magic.

I was inspired by some fan theories circulating the internet and believe it or not, this story was originally about Miranda Plumridge. But then I realized, Dudley needs some Alternate Universe love. Here's my take. Thank you for reading.

EDIT: I have since been informed several times that I have messed up the Child Protective Services in the UK. I apologize heartily. To quote one of my reviewers, atokkota: "_They (NSCPP) are a charity which lobbies for better child protection. Each County/District has there own Safeguarding panel along with a Social Service Department that have qualified highly trained social working professionals who are legally responsible for the welfare and safety of children. The Safeguarding professionals work in conjunction with Educators, Policing and Health Service agencies to monitor, identify and provide for children in at risk situations or those whose families need support in providing a safe and loving home environment._" Thank you so much, I did not know all of this. It's good to learn something new every day. I'll be doing further research before bringing it up in the story in later chapters. Thank you for your patience.

That being said, please continue to enjoy this Dudley Dursley Alternate Universe fanfiction of mine. Thank you.


	2. A History Lesson

Wow. Just **wow**. Did not expect the reaction that I got from all you lovely people out there who reviewed, followed and favorited my story in just the first hour of it's existence. I'm blown away by the response. Apparently, ya'll want Dudley AU love. Well, I'll keep writing it and try to make updates weekly. Wotcher and enjoy. Thank you so much.

* * *

Miranda bustled them into the living room, setting them down on the couch. "You boys stay here." She said with a large smile. "I'm going to pop the pizza in the oven." And she swept off to the kitchen, positively beaming. Harry and Dudley looked at each other.

"Who do you think it is?" Harry whispered, turning his envelope in his hands. "No-one's ever really written to me."

"But who'd be writing to the both of us?" Dudley wondered, looking at the wax seal on the back of the envelope. It looked like a crest of arms. Dudley recognized that it was similar to the styles he had seen on field trips in very old manor houses or in castles. It looked like...a lion, a big bird, a weird looking furry thing and a snake all twisting around a large letter **H**. He racked his brain, trying to remember if he had seen this crest before. It didn't look like any of the royal families that he had studied in history class.

They heard the beeping of the oven and Miranda came out with two cold cans of Vimto, leftover from Dudley's birthday party. Soda was their special occasion drink and Dudley had requested the fizzy drink specially. "Cheers!" Miranda beamed, handing one to each of them.

"What are we celebrating?" Dudley asked, popping the tab on the can. Miranda sat down with her own cup of tea.

"I think you'd better open those letters." She said mysteriously, grinning. Dudley and Harry looked at each other and tore into their envelopes. Thick sheets of parchment were pulled out, the same glittering green ink on them. Dudley shook his head and slowly read aloud -

"Dear Mr. Dursley, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

He had to re-read that sentence three times. Witchcraft and Wizardry? Hogwarts? What the bloody hell...? He looked back up at Miranda and tilted his head. "What the bloody hell?" She just smiled at him. He looked over at Harry who was staring at the parchment as if it held all of life's answers. Harry slowly looked up at Miranda and said quietly,

"What?"

Miranda set her tea cup down and smiled still more broadly. "You boys are wizards." Dudley and Harry sat there, staring at her. "There's a secret community in the world," she went on, "Of those who can use magic. They are called witches and wizards, the wizarding community. And you boys are now part of it."

"Magic?" Dudley asked.

"Wizards?" Harry wondered.

They both looked at their parchment letters and back up at Miranda. "What?"

"You boys come from a line of witches and wizards." Miranda continued to explain. "Mostly from Harry's family's side. His mother and father were a witch and wizard."

"What about my mum?" Dudley asked, looking down at his letter again.

Miranda shook her head. "It's not likely that there was any magical blood in your mother, Dudley, but your magic comes from your aunt, passed down through your blood."

"What about you?" Harry blurted out. "How do you know about witches and wizards?"

Miranda laughed. "My whole family are witches and wizards!" She grinned. "Unfortunately, I'm what's known as a Squib. No magical whatsoever. My mum and dad are really good at passing for Muggles, as I chose to pass as a Muggle myself. Although Cousin Dedalus Diggle really hasn't grasped the concept well."

"Muggles?" Dudley asked, his brow furrowing. "What are Muggles?"

"Muggles are what wizards call those who do not have magic. Non-magical people. Like, most of the people at school are Muggles, although some of the children may be magical and not know it. Like you two."

Harry and Dudley were quiet for a few minutes, which was very unusual. Harry looked up at Miranda.

"If my parents were a witch and wizard...why did they die?"

Dudley was surprised to see Miranda's face fall. She sighed heavily. She then leaned forward. "Look at me, both of you." Dudley bit at his lip; Miranda's tone was deadly serious. He could count on one hand how many times he'd heard that deadly quiet from her. When she was satisfied with their attention, she told them a terrible story. "Listen closely. I will let you ask questions after I'm done, not before." Dudley and Harry nodded. "Not all witches and wizards are good." Dudley and Harry exchanged a look. "More than eleven years ago, before you two were born, there was a wizard who went as bad as bad could go. Maybe even worse. His name was Voldemort. Everyone called and still calls him, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who. He was trying to take over the wizarding world and reshape it to his image and ideals. He gained followers, those who thought that he was right. Or maybe they just wanted some of his power. He was becoming very powerful, it got to the point where the wizarding community was under siege. It was Dark Days, boys. No-one dared to trust anyone, you didn't know who were his Followers and who wasn't. He got rid of whomever he wanted, took what he wanted and the entire world was scared of him. Luckily, there were those who fought against him. Your parents," she said pointedly to Harry, "were some of the ones who fought."

Harry opened his mouth, but Miranda held up her finger. Dudley knew better than to try to interrupt. Miranda was in her teacher-mode.

Miranda's eyes grew very sad. "Now, no-body knows what happened that Halloween night ten years ago, Harry. From the story I've been told by Dedalus...on Halloween night, when you were only a baby..." She struggled to get the words out. "H-he went to your house and-" She swallowed hard. "He murdered your parents, Harry."

Harry and Dudley sat on the couch, stunned. Thousands of questions buzzed through Dudley's mind but one thought stood out above all. _My__ parents must've known...and they still treated Harry like that. Harry's parents had been murdered by the most powerful Dark wizard in the world and they still..._ They looked back at Miranda as she started speaking again.

"That is when, it is theorized, that Voldemort turned his wand on you, Harry."

Dudley felt his jaw drop at the same time that he saw Harry's drop. _Voldemort tried to kill Harry? Why?_

"Nobody quite knows why." Miranda said with a small shake of her head. Dudley swore that sometimes she could read minds. "Perhaps he wanted kill the entire Potter bloodline. Maybe he just liked killing by then. No-one knows for sure. But something...something stopped him that night."

Harry pointed wordlessly at the scar on his forehead. That odd lightning bolt shaped scar that had been with Harry for as long as Dudley could remember.

"Yes, Harry. That's what happened when Voldemort's curse didn't work. Something happened in that house that stopped him. His powers broke and he fled. Some say that he died. Dedalus is one of those who doesn't believe that. Some say that he's out there still, waiting for the time where he can rise again. But you stopped him, Harry. You are known throughout the entire wizarding world...as The Boy Who Lived. There was actually talk of making Halloween '_Harry Potter Day_'."

Harry's hand shot into the air and quivered there, clearly desperate to ask his questions. Miranda held up a finger and they heard the beeping of the timer in the kitchen.

"One moment, Harry."

They hadn't even noticed the smell of melting cheese and tomato sauce. Miranda got up and they followed her into the kitchen. With a few deft movements, Miranda had the pepperoni pizza out and had it cut into perfect triangles. She handed out two slices per boy, the usual. They sat around the dining room table and quietly dug into the pizza. Dudley chewed on the glory that was tomato sauce, spicy pepperoni and creamy cheese, lost in his own thoughts. Harry bounced in his seat and ate a little too quickly. He started to hiccup.

"Miranda, what about-?" Harry started, but dissolved into hiccups. Dudley chuckled, twirling stringy mozzarella cheese about his index finger before sucking it off. He loved pizza.

Miranda laughed softly. "There's so much mystery surrounding everything that happened that night, boys. But you were taken from your ruined house, Harry, and brought to the last family that you had on this Earth."

"My Mum and Dad." Dudley nodded, taking a bite from his crust. "And me." He added as an afterthought as he chewed. Miranda nodded.

"That's one important reason why I insisted that you both keep your names." Miranda explained, handing one of each of her crusts to the boys. "Dursley and Potter mean too much to be forgotten."

Silence fell over the kitchen and Harry seemed to have forgotten his questions. Dudley hadn't forgotten his. _My __parents had to have known. They knew. And they still..._ He felt himself get nauseated. "I-I'm sorry..." he whispered.

Harry and Miranda looked at him. "What do you mean, dear?" Miranda asked.

Dudley swallowed hard. "They weren't fair to you, Harry." He managed, before stuffing his remaining crust into his mouth and chewing hard. Miranda's eyes teared up. Harry looked a little confused, until it dawned on him. It happened quickly and quietly, but Miranda gathered them both into her arms and hugged them tightly. They hugged her back and when she let them go, they went back to their plates, gathered them and took them to the sink. An unspoken moment between them and they silently knew that neither of them would speak of this private moment. After they finished helping Miranda with the dishes, they hurried back to the living room and grabbed their letters again.

Dudley re-read that first line. _Dear Mr. Dursley, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry..._ They must've made a mistake with him. There was no way that he could be a wizard. Harry, yeah. Harry had the blood and the story and everything. And from what Miranda was saying, Harry was famous in the wizarding world.

"Miranda. I think they made a mistake with me." Dudley said, holding out his letter for her. "I don't think I could be a wizard."

Miranda smiled at him and didn't take the letter. "I put your name down for Hogwarts when I saw the signs, Dudley. Your magic manifests in object movement. Dedalus's manifested the same way, he could make a picture frame fly across the room before he learned to control it."

"So...Hogwarts helps you learn magic." He said, looking back down at his letter. He felt a small bit of hope rise in him. He was magical, just like Harry. "Wait a minute..."

"Why didn't we know any of this sooner?" Harry asked, frowning. "If we're wizards, how come we didn't know before this?!"

Miranda gave a small sigh, but her face didn't take on the seriousness that it had before she had told them about Harry's parents. "Boys, there is still a lot of danger in the wizarding world. I wanted you to grow up as Muggles. What would have been the point of telling you before the signs manifested and the letters arrived? What if I was wrong? Would I be responsible for getting your hopes up, only to never have your letter come?" She blinked and Dudley could've sworn that he spotted something terribly sad and painful in Miranda's eyes that was banished with another blink. "No, I couldn't. So I brought you boys up as Muggles. That way, if it didn't happen..."

"We could keep going, without knowing what could have been." Harry said, looking down at his letter. "I get it." Dudley nodded. He understood too. He had a feeling that if he hadn't been adopted by Miranda, his powers never would have manifested.

"I know you boys want to keep talking," Miranda said softly with a smile. "But it is getting close to ten..."

"What?" Harry yelped, looking around at the clock.

"Already?" Dudley groaned, getting up from the couch. Miranda nodded firmly.

"It may be summer and you may have your letters, but even young wizards need their sleep."

Dudley and Harry grinned at each other, then hugged Miranda. "Good night, Miranda."

"Good night, boys." She said, hugging them tightly. "Don't forget to brush your teeth. We'll talk more in the morning." She released them and they went down the hall to their rooms. Dudley closed the door to his room softly and set his letter down on his desk. He drew the blinds and looked out of the window. The moon was almost full. It was really bright tonight. He wondered why everything looked the same. He felt like it should...look different. He certainly felt different. It didn't take him long to get ready for bed, he even managed to brush his teeth before Harry got into the bathroom. Dudley climbed into bed, before reaching over and grabbing his letter. He wanted to read it one more time.

He re-read the main letter, grinning at the flourishing signature "_Yours Sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress". _He was about to read the requirements list when his door creaked open and Harry snuck into his room.

"Harry, what're you doing?" Dudley asked, sitting up. "We're supposed to be going to bed."

"I know." Harry said, grinning in the moonlight. "I just can't believe it! Can you?"

Dudley knew exactly what he was talking about. "No." He said honestly, looking back down at the requirements list. "How can we really be wizards?"

"Well, I got it from my parents and you did too." Harry said with a bigger grin, sitting on the end of Dudley's bed. "We can't be anything but!"

Dudley sighed and shrugged. "I don't know." He said. "What about that requirements list, eh?" He shook out the second sheet of parchment and read the first few items aloud. "First-year students will require: 1. Three sets of plain work robes (black), 2. One pointed (black) hat for day wear, 3. One set of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar). Dragon hide? Robes?" He furrowed his brow. "Dragons can't be real, can they?"

"Got to be." Harry said, looking at his list too. "I wonder if we'll see one."

Dudley shook his head. "Doubt it." He reasoned. "They'd have to be really dangerous, at least by the accounts of all the old stories. You know, where they guard treasures and breath fire and fly."

"Look at these books." Harry chuckled, looking down the book list. "_A History of Magic, Magical Theory, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi..._I can't wait!"

Dudley nodded. There were crazy awesome sounding books there...and equipment, a wand. He couldn't help it, he felt a thrill at the thought of owning a wand. Just like those old fairy tale books. "Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks. What's that about?"

Harry shrugged. "Something we don't know about yet, I'd bet."

"There's a lot we don't know, Harry." Dudley grinned. "I wonder where we're going to get all this." And then a thought hit him like a thunderbolt. He felt his spirits sinking faster than he'd ever known. "And how Miranda's going to pay for all of this..."

Dudley looked up at Harry who shrugged, a little more carelessly than Dudley thought was necessary. "I'll bet Gran and Gramps will help." Harry said, referring to Miranda's parents. Dudley frowned.

"I don't know..."

"They're wizards, right? They've got to know what to do. Or maybe we've qualified for a scholarship."

Dudley flushed. He knew his grades weren't up to a scholarship level and he knew that Harry's grades weren't much better. He seriously doubted that they'd get a scholarship. He sighed. How could Miranda pay for both of them? "This stuff can't be cheap." he said quietly, looking at the list with what felt like sadness.

"It'll work out." Harry said, grinning. "I know it will."

Dudley made a show of yawning. "I'm going to sleep." he announced, giving his cousin a look. Harry rolled his eyes and got up.

"Night." he said, sneaking back out of Dudley's room. Dudley waved at him, his face falling as the door closed. He hadn't even thought of how they were going to pay for everything. And where would they get everything? Was there, like, a shop somewhere? Maybe it was disguised, Miranda had said that the wizarding community hid itself from Muggles. He fell asleep thinking about how they would hide shops and dragons from Muggle eyes. He dreamed of wizard hats and castles and shops with false fronts.

Dudley was woken up the next morning by the smells of bacon and maple syrup. He pulled on a dressing robe and shuffled out to the kitchen, yawning. Harry followed suit, his hair sticking out a little bit more than usual. Dudley supposed Harry had the same restless sleep that he'd had.

"Good morning, boys." Miranda beamed, turning to greet them. She was dressed for the day in a pretty blouse and slacks combination. She was already heaping a serving plate with a mountain of pancakes. Dudley was a little surprised to see a mountain of bacon, extra pancakes, the jug of maple syrup, coffee and tea brewing as well as the jug of cold milk. And there were four place settings instead of the usual three. "We're going to be having company this morning, so I need you to go and change into appropriate clothes, okay?"

Dudley and Harry groaned, but shuffled off to their rooms. Dudley snagged a piece of bacon before leaving. Dudley yawned and pulled one of his favorite polo shirts on, pairing it with his favorite jeans. He decided to bring his trainers to the living room, just in case they were going somewhere. He went back out to the kitchen, where Miranda was pouring herself a cup of tea.

"Who's coming?" he asked, putting his trainers in the living room. Miranda blew on the steaming tea.

"The Headmaster of Hogwarts is sending the Keeper of the Keys to escort us to London. We'll be getting your school supplies there."

Dudley felt a small thrill of excitement and panic. "We're getting them already? But we just got our letters yesterday."

Miranda nodded. "I know. But the Headmaster insisted. The owl he sent wouldn't take no for an answer. The Keeper of the Keys will be here soon." She smiled as Harry shuffled back into the kitchen, wearing his flannel shirt over a plain t-shirt and jeans, scratching at his head. "Go ahead and start eating boys, while the pancakes are still hot."

Dudley grinned. Miranda didn't need to tell him twice. He grabbed four pancakes and coated them with maple syrup. "Why is the Headmaster sending the...the Keeper of the Keys to escort us?" He asked, picking a few extra strips of bacon. Harry's eyebrows shot up into his hair.

Miranda gave a very small yawn. "Well, my best guess would be that since I'm still considered in all respects to be a Muggle, he feels that having an escort would be beneficial." Dudley almost didn't catch that hint of sadness at the very edges of her voice this time. But there it was, hidden behind her words. Why did she sound like that? He had heard the same tone when she had spoken of the way that she had raised them last night. Did she regret that they got their letters? Or was it something else? He looked down and cut into his pancakes. He guessed that it wasn't right to ask her right now.

"What's a Keeper of the Keys?" Harry asked, making a sandwich out of his bacon and pancakes. Miranda smiled, sitting in her usual spot.

"I think it's like a groundskeeper." She said, sipping at her tea. "He probably takes care of the grounds of Hogwarts and watches over it."

Harry and Dudley nodded, the talk forgotten in favor of Miranda's pancakes. Miranda kept looking at her watch, then at the door or at the fireplace. Dudley finished off his pancakes and just as he was about to help himself to more, three thunderous knocks sounded from the front door.

"Coming!" Miranda called, setting her tea cup down. "That'll be him." she said unnecessarily. Dudley and Harry jumped up too, they wanted to see their first wizard. They peeked around the kitchen door frame, watching as Miranda opened the door.

"Hello!" She chirped, stepping aside. "Come in, I have breakfast all ready, if you'd like to join us."

"Well, if yeh insist." chuckled the gigantic mountain of a man that stepped into their foyer. Dudley and Harry's eyes bugged out and their mouths fell open as they stared at the wizard. He was taller than the ceiling, he had to stoop so that his head wouldn't go crashing through the ceiling. He was wearing an enormous furry overcoat and was carrying a bright pink umbrella. His face was hidden by the wild scraggy beard that melded into the long mane of hair, but Dudley could see his eyes, twinkling like two black beetles. Dudley didn't mean to stare, but he couldn't take his eyes off of this man. The man smiled at Miranda as she closed the door and turned to spot the two boys staring at him from the kitchen door frame. "An' there's Harry!" he boomed.

"And Dudley." Miranda said, nodding at the boys. The mountain man walked a few steps down the hall and stopped in front of them. The black beetle eyes twinkled at them.

"Last time I saw yeh, yeh was only a baby." Dudley and Harry didn't say anything. The giant laughed, a great booming sound. "Sorry, I haven't introduced meself. Name's Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

* * *

Author's Notes: Thank you all for reading this. A shout-out to one of my best friends who just finished writing her first novel and will soon be sending it to a publisher. I couldn't be prouder, you've been working on that since high-school. You finally did it and I can't wait to see it in print.


	3. Behind the Brick

Thank you to everyone who read, favorited and reviewed. The second chapter blew away the first chapter in terms of visitors and views. I still can't really believe the response and it really makes me want to keep writing for everyone. I feel really blessed, so thank you to everyone. Here's the third chapter, wotcher and enjoy.

* * *

Dudley and Harry sat at their regular seats, both still staring at Hagrid. Hagrid had taken the fourth seat at the table and was currently accepting a cup of tea from Miranda. Dudley and Harry fidgeted nervously, but patiently waited until Miranda had taken her seat with her own cup of tea before they exploded.

"Are you a wizard?" Dudley blurted.

"What is a Keeper of the Keys?" Harry followed. Dudley could see Hagrid take a breath as if to answer them, but he and Harry kept going, all their questions spilling out in rapid fire.

"What is Hogwarts?"

"What is it like there?"

"How big is it?"

"Do you have a wand? Can we see it?"

"Why do you have a pink umbrella?"

"Why are you so tall?"

"Did you know my parents?"

"Yeah, did you know his-?"

"Boys, boys!" Miranda scolded, flapping her hands in a silly manner at them. "Please, one at a time. Let our guest answer them before you ask another. What have I always said about questions?"

Dudley and Harry looked down at the tablecloth in a bit of shame. "When you ask a question, make sure it is polite and concise." Dudley knew they hadn't exactly been polite, but he couldn't help it. So many questions had exploded into his head when he had seen Hagrid. Hagrid was their first real wizard. He supposed that Cousin Diggle didn't count. Hagrid started to chuckle and Dudley instantly felt drawn to the deep earthiness of his laugh.

"I don't mind, Ms. Plumridge." He chuckled. "Now, as best as I can answer...yea, I'm a wizard. But I'm untrained and all." When Harry opened his mouth, Miranda held up her teacher-finger. Harry quickly shut his mouth. "I...uh, I was expelled, to tell yer the truth. In me third year. Snapped me wand in half an' everything." Dudley was surprised. He started to ask, "_Why?_", but quickly swallowed his question. Hagrid chuckled. "No worries though, lads, you'll do just fine. As for me job," Hagrid puffed up with pride, growing in height and stature. "Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore. I watch over the keys of Hogwarts, tend to the magical beasts, keep the Forbidden Forest in check-"

_Forbidden__ Forest? _Dudley wondered, eyes huge. He couldn't help thinking of the various things in there that would make a forest forbidden.

"You'll love Hogwarts." Hagrid continued, beaming at them both. "It's a huge castle on a cliff, overlookin' the Black Lake and skirted by the Forbidden Forest. It's got lots o' classrooms, the Great Hall, the owlery, a Halloween and Christmas feast, dungeons and all sorts o' secrets."

Dudley and Harry gave each other excited looks. This place sounded incredible.

"And as fer yer parents, Harry," Hagrid continued, looking at Harry with what Dudley were surprised to see were tears, "Ya I knew 'em. An' nicer people yeh couldn't find. Anyways, when yer house was attacked-"

Harry's face grew stiff and Dudley bit at his lip. Hagrid pulled a handkerchief out of one of the pockets in his coat and blew his nose loudly. Miranda patted his arm comfortingly.

"Sorry, it's that sad. Took yeh from the ruined house meself. Brought yeh to yer aunt and uncle..." His brow crinkled. "Didn't expect yeh to have been adopted. I even went to yer old house, but then remembered that Dumbledore told me yeh was 'ere."

Harry nodded. "It's alright, Hagrid. Miranda told us the story last night." And Harry launched into the story about how they had both been adopted and what happened. Hagrid nodded in the right places and shook his head in the right places and made the right noises. Dudley cut in and added what had happened to him a few times when Harry took a breath. Hagrid beamed at both of them when the story had been wrapped up.

"So yeh both turned out to be wizards, eh? Can't say I'm surprised." He chuckled. Dudley and Harry both grinned. "Yeh both come from some of the finest wizard stock out there. Yer mum," he continued, looking back at Harry. "Smartest witch of her age. She and yer Dad were Head Boy and Girl in their day."

As Harry flushed with pride, Dudley couldn't help his stomach contracting with a bit of fear. Harry really had all the right stuff...magical parents, the magic, the story and everything. What did he, Dudley, have? Just his cousin. Just his famous, more wizardly cousin. He couldn't help this sinking feeling.

"It is getting on in the day." Miranda said, looking up at the clock. "We'd better get heading to London if we want to be home before dinner."

Hagrid looked at Miranda, honestly puzzled for a moment, before he grinned and nodded. "Yeah, gotta get yer school supplies!"

Miranda and Hagrid stood up, smiling. "How are we going to get there?" Harry asked, quickly jumping up and going for his trainers by the door.

"I'll be driving you boys." Miranda said, motioning for Harry and Dudley to help her put the pancakes and syrup and bacon away. They hurried with the chores, eager to get on their way. "You'll be meeting us at the pub, right, Hagrid."

Dudley almost missed the look that passed between Miranda and Hagrid. "Oh - oh, yeah." Hagrid said, nodding. "Can't fit in Muggle cars, to tell the truth."

"How're you going to get there?" Dudley asked, putting the syrup into it's place in the fridge. "The Underground?"

"Nah." Hagrid shook his hairy head. "Gonna fly."

"YOU CAN FLY?!" Harry and Dudley both yelped, Dudley dropping the trainer in his hand. He scrambled to grab it up.

"How do you fly if you can't use magic?" Harry asked. Dudley was surprised to be able to see Hagrid's flushed cheeks through his beard.

"Dumbledore." Hagrid said gruffly, gathering up his pink umbrella again carefully. Dudley wouldn't have been surprised if the umbrella was hiding the two pieces of Hagrid's wand. "He gave me special permission, as I'm runnin' an errand for 'im today."

"Coooool." Harry breathed, quickly lacing up his trainers. "Is it in Diagon Alley?"

"Yep." Hagrid nodded. "I'll be meetin' ya there. See you at the Leaky Cauldron, Ms. Plumridge?"

"Absolutely. It may take us some time. There may not be parking near the pub." She nodded, stepping into her kitten heels that she always wore out.

"Got yeh." He said, smiling. "Alright, boys, see yeh there." And with that, Hagrid walked out the door. Harry and Dudley ran after him and were out the door before it had even closed, but Hagrid was gone. They stretched their necks up and scanned the skies looking for him, but not even a dot was visible in the blue skies.

"Do you think he's invisible?" Harry asked Dudley, still looking up.

"Makes sense." Dudley nodded, turning to look for Miranda before looking back up at the sky. "He wouldn't want to be seen, wizards are supposed to stay hidden, right?"

"Yeah, it'd be pretty weird to see a giant flying man."

"Think he's an actual giant?"

"Dunno." Harry shrugged, walking over to the car. "Maybe. Big enough."

"Huh." Dudley grunted, walking over as well, popping the stiffness in his neck as he did so. "Kinda funny going back to London today."

"Yeah, right?" Harry grinned. Miranda finally stepped out of the house and locked the door behind her. She hurried over and unlocked the car.

"Let's get going, boys!" She said with a smile, pulling open the car door. "It's your first trip to Diagon Alley!"

* * *

Dudley looked up at the small, weather beaten sign that swung back and forth above a dingy door. _The Leaky Cauldron._ Other people were hurrying up and down the street, their eyes sliding from brightly lit display to the next storefront without even looking at the pub's entrance. He took a shaking breath. The trip had taken less time than Dudley had originally thought. Then suddenly, they were parking and walking down the street, then they turned a corner and there was the sign. Miranda took his and Harry's hands, as though for courage, then walked them up to and through the pub's door.

Dudley's first impressions were that it was dark and shabby, with mismatched chairs and tables, the brightest light coming from the fireplace way off on the far wall. The pub wasn't too busy at the moment, there were a few women drinking from small glasses in the corner and Hagrid was at the bar, quaffing a pint of something amber colored. He wiped his mouth and waved at them.

"Hello, you lot!" he called out to them. "Took yeh long enough!"

Miranda smiled and shook her head. "Parking, Hagrid, parking."

"Oh yeah." He smiled. He handed the bartender a few large silver coins and stood up. "Ready fer your Hogwarts stuff?"

"Yeah!" Harry and Dudley chorused, their nerves being banished by the large gameskeeper. Dudley found him fun and cheerful. The bartender looked past Hagrid, smiling. His smile dropped off of his face as his jaw dropped open and he goggled at them. Dudley felt himself getting red in the face.

"Bless my soul..." the old bartender murmured. "Is that - can it be?"

Dudley was aware that the entire bar had gone quiet. There suddenly seemed to be a lot more people there than Dudley had first seen.

"It's Harry Potter..." The bartender then rushed out from behind the bar, seized Harry's free hand and shook it, with tears welling up in his eyes. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back!"

Then they were mobbed. The entire bar wanted to shake Harry's hand, introducing themselves and crowding about their small family.

"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, I can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud."

"I've always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all aflutter."

They were surrounded for at least ten more minutes, Harry shaking very single hand in the place. Dudley noticed that Doris Crockford kept trying to come back for more.

"Harry! Dudley!" squeaked a very familiar voice from behind Hagrid. Cousin Diggle came out from behind Hagrid, wearing his normal violet top hat and hugged Harry. Dudley saw mouths drop all around the pub and had a feeling that Cousin Diggle had been waiting for this moment since they had walked into the pub. "I though tI'd come by and see you boys off to Diagon!" He squeaked excitedly. "We all had a feeling, boys, we all had a feeling!" Harry blushed slightly and Dudley laughed. Doris Crockford looked especially jealous. "Good luck to you, boys." Cousin Diggle smiled, clapping them both on the back. "Welcome to the Wizarding world."

The crowd exploded with questions and the mob pressed forward even more, asking Harry questions that Dudley thought they had no business asking and demanding hand shakes. Cousin Diggle shook Miranda's hand and disappeared, squeaking out something about work. The crowd wouldn't disperse. Finally, Miranda had had enough. She motioned to Hagrid, who came to the rescue. He came up, brushing the crowds aside like they were wisps in the wind. Hagrid pushed the family through the crowd, saying "Got lots ter buy, it's time we were off." The crowd dispersed, some looking disappointed. Dudley chanced a peek at his cousin, who was looking a touch shell-shocked. Miranda gave their hands a reassuring squeeze.

"Told you that you were famous, Harry." Miranda said, smiling. "That's just a taste of what will follow you through the wizarding world."

"Oh, hello there, Professor!" Hagrid boomed, waving at a pale young man who approached, wearing a turban and a shaky smile. "Boys, this here is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh, hello!" Miranda beamed. Dudley could tell she was thrilled to be meeting one of their prospective teachers. "How do you do?"

"W-W-Well, t-thank you." Professor Quirrell said with a very pronounced shudder. Dudley blinked in surprise. Professor Quirrell first shook Miranda's hand, then Harry's, then Dudley's. Dudley thought that the Professor's handshake was timid and he pulled back quickly. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose?" He inquired of Miranda who nodded. "I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the thought.

"Good luck, Professor." Harry said, making Professor Quirrell smile shakily, as Miranda made their goodbyes and Hagrid steered them towards the back of the pub. Hagrid led them out of the bar and into a small walled courtyard.

"Told yeh, didn't we, Harry." Hagrid beamed. "Told yeh you was famous! Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."

"Is he always that nervous?" Harry asked. Miranda gave a small sigh. Dudley knew why; Miranda always told them to refrain from asking adults personal questions that they may be uncomfortable answering. But Hagrid didn't even seem to notice.

"Oh yeah." Hagrid nodded, getting his pink umbrella ready. "Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some first-hand experience...They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject - needs a holiday, if you ask me."

Hagrid started counting bricks. Dudley tilted his head curiously, then Miranda gripped their hands.

"Here we go..." She said quietly, keeping her eyes on the wall in front of them. "I haven't been here in such a long time."

Dudley was confused for a second before the brick wall in front of them started to shift, wiggle, twist - a hole appeared - it grew larger and larger, the bricks twisting one after another, opening a archway large enough for all four of them to pass comfortably through. It opened onto the most amazing street that Dudley Dursley had ever seen in his entire life. Brightly colored storefronts with moving, glittering displays. Witches and wizards in robes of all colors milled around, looking through the windows at the wares on sale. Cauldrons of all shapes and sizes were piled up outside of one store, there were signs hanging from just about every opening. Miranda and Hagrid ushered them through the archway, which closed behind them to a seamless brick wall once more. The cobblestone street twisted and turned and ended at the very end at an enormous white marble building.

"Gringotts, the wizards' bank!" Hagrid grunted, pointing it out to them. "Tain't no safer place, not one. Except perhaps Hogwarts." They strode up the street towards it, passing witches haggling over potions supplies and boys about a few years older than Dudley drooling over a display in a shop called "Quality Quidditch Supplies". Dudley kept swiveling his head and trying to see everything at once. They made their way to the bright white building, went up the white marble steps and through the bronze doors. Dudley and Harry stared at the security guard who couldn't have be anything other than a goblin.

"Clever as they come, goblins, but not the most friendly of beasts." Hagrid murmured to them as they entered the entry hall, where they faced a second set of doors, silver, with writing etched upon it. Dudley and Harry pulled Miranda to a stop so that they could read it. Hagrid gave them a bit of a look, but smiled.

Dudley thought it was an excellent poem, although they hadn't covered poem styles or anything except for the "AABB", "ABAB" or "ABBA" rhyming rules.

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

"Yeh'd be mad to try to rob it." Hagrid said quietly as they passed the bowing entry goblin and entered the long main chamber of Gringotts. It was huge, seemingly carved from a single huge marble rock. The walls were lined with desks of goblins, doing calculations, weighing rubies the size of a baby's fist, counting coins. There must have been hundreds of them. There were innumerable doors leading from the hall. Three enormous crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, at the best points to show them off. Dudley felt small in such a large space.

"Miranda, if it's alright with ye, I'll take Harry down to 'is vault." Hagrid said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. Dudley saw his cousin's knees buckle. Miranda nodded, smiling.

"Yes, of course." She motioned with her head towards the goblin that seemed to have a few people in a line to see him. "I need to exchange some money."

"Harry has a vault?!" Dudley blurted out, cheeks growing red. "Seriously?!"

Dudley saw Harry flush.

"Yeah, his parents left it to 'im." Hagrid said gruffly, giving Dudley a look that Dudley gave him right back. "He's gotta buy 'is school supplies, don't he?"

Dudley opened his mouth but Miranda gently pulled him away, towards the currency exchange goblin. "We'll see you when you finish up, Hagrid." She said pointedly, arching her eyebrow. Hagrid took her meaning and hurried Harry away, towards the end of the hall where an old goblin waited at a tall podium. Miranda yanked Dudley to face her and Dudley was shocked to see her glaring. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

Dudley tried to force his eyes to cease glowering. "Harry gets a vault but you have to exchange your money?" He said, crossing his arms in front of him. "It doesn't seem fair! Suddenly, Harry has wizard money. He should give the vault to you."

"And why do you think that?" Miranda asked with a sigh. "Because I've taken care of him and you feel that he needs to pay me back?"

"Or something." Dudley muttered, feeling some shame creeping up around his heart. "I mean, it's just not fair."

Miranda took Dudley's shoulders and he forced himself to look into her eyes. "Dudley, Harry didn't know about this vault. I didn't know about this vault. There's a reason for everything." She gave him her sternest look when he opened his mouth again. "I thought I taught you better, Dudley." Dudley felt like a lightning bolt had just struck him. The shame welled up until he was feeling sick. "Whatever I have done for the two of you has been a gift, given freely. You don't have to pay me back nor do I wish you to pay me back. I do not want Harry's money. That is his, to do with what he wishes. I believe his parents left it to the executor of their will, to be accessed by Harry when he turned eleven, to be used for school. This is not something to be jealous over. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Miranda." Dudley agreed, hanging his head. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Dudley." Miranda said, pulling back gently. "I want you to apologize to Hagrid and Harry too, when they come back."

Dudley nodded. He hadn't thought about it like that. Harry's parents had kept it from Harry while he was growing up so that it could be used for school. It wasn't meant to be spiteful or anything. It's not like his parents...expected to be murdered or anything... Dudley joined Miranda in the small line at the currency exchange goblin. Either things were more complicated than they seemed...or a lot more simple.

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Author's Notes: My apologies for the late chapter, but real life got the way this past week. I promise that next week will be on time and full of Diagon Alley awesomeness. No worries, the next few weeks should be on time. I'll be taking a two week hiatus in the middle of May because of the wedding and honeymoon and stuff. But then updates should be a lot more regular. Thank you for reading and thank you for your patience. Wotcher!


	4. Wizards' Basics

Wotcher, everyone, and thank you! I know you're getting sick of reading about my shock as this story climbs higher and higher with each chapter, but it seriously blows me away each and every time. This, if nothing else does, confirms that I should at least try to be a writer. You all confirm this again and again - with each chapter - and for that, I am truly grateful to all of you. Thank you, from the bottom of my little black and gold heart. As before, I own nothing and never have. Enjoy, beloved readers.

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Dudley and Miranda waited for Harry and Hagrid outside of Gringotts. Miranda's money exchange had gone well. Dudley supposed that they may have to get a lot of things second-hand; their leather pouch was a lot smaller than some others who were coming out of Gringotts. He kicked at the cobblestones, his fists stuck deeply in his pockets. He still felt that sickening shame gripping him. He glanced up at the entry of Gringotts for the fifth time, trying to spot Harry and Hagrid emerging. He sighed.

"Where are they?" He muttered, kicking at the cobblestones.

"The carts are rather unpredictable, Dudley." Miranda said kindly. "And we're not sure how deep the vaults are."

Dudley nodded without understanding. He supposed that the vaults must be really deep in Gringotts. Harry's family had been well-established wizards. They must've had one of the deeper vaults. Dudley wondered if he could get his own vault at some point. Just then, the enormous figure of Hagrid emerged from the bronze doors, Harry bouncing at his feet.

"Dud!" Harry called out, waving at him. "Those carts are nuts! You have to come with me next time!"

Dudley grinned, before the shameful feeling made the smile drop off his face. Hagrid patted Harry on the shoulder, muttering about needing a "pick-me-up" at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Of course, Hagrid." Miranda nodded. "I hated those carts myself. We'll see you in a little bit, alright?"

Hagrid nodded, and after giving Dudley and Harry a wave, set off down the Alley towards the pub. Dudley felt a little more shameful and nervous. He had rehearsed an apology for both Harry and Hagrid, but now Hagrid was gone. He swallowed nervously.

"Let's go and get your uniforms and robes." Miranda said brightly, steering them towards a shop that had a sign that said _Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions_. Dudley flushed and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. He knew Miranda was waiting for him to apologize, but he hadn't gotten the words quite right yet. One thing he was always grateful for, was that Miranda never made him say something before he was ready. He had trouble finding the right words sometimes, but Miranda always gave him the room to find them.

"Aren't we supposed to be looking for the second-hand shop?" he asked Miranda quietly, trying not to look at Harry. Harry put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be stupid, Dud." He said. Dudley looked over at him, a questioning look on his face. "Hagrid said that Madame Malkin's robes were the best. Let's go there."

Dudley blushed a bright red. "But...Miranda-"

Harry held up his hand. "My parents left me a great deal of gold." he said quietly, so that only Miranda and Dudley could hear him. "It's too much for just me. It wouldn't feel right if I didn't share it."

Dudley blinked at him and then the apology came shooting out of his mouth. "I'm sorry about what I said in Gringotts, Harry. It wasn't fair of me."

Harry shrugged and grinned. "It's alright, Dudley. It surprised me too." Then he jerked his head at the robe shop. "Let's get our robes, huh?"

Dudley nodded, the shameful feeling fleeing before the excitement that suddenly exploded from his heart. His wizards robes! They entered the robes shop with Miranda, who smiled and took one of the large cushy chairs close to the door. Madame Malkin was a happy, plump witch, robed all in a mauve that brought out the pink of her cheeks. She hurried forward, smiling at them.

"Hogwarts, dears?" She said, ushering them towards the back of the shop. "Got the lot here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact." She brought them to the fitting area, where students or wizards would stand on footstool and either be measured or pinned. A pale faced boy with blonde hair was on a footstool, black robes being pinned up by a shop helper. Madame Malkin stood Harry and Dudley on footstools next to the boy, had them slip on black robes and began to pin. Dudley's helper was also clad all in pink. She made a kind comment on how strong and stout he seemed. He flushed.

"Hello." Dudley turned to look at the pale boy. Harry nodded at him. "Hogwarts too?"

Harry and Dudley both nodded while Harry said, "Yes."

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands." Dudley didn't like his tone. He sounded really snobby and bored. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms." Dudley didn't really understand, but he supposed it was something that wizards did for sport. After all, racing brooms couldn't be used for sweeping, could they? "I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and smuggle it in somehow."

Dudley had a nasty feeling that this boy sounded an awful lot like himself at a five years old. The spoiled attitude of the boy was starting to rub him the wrong way.

"Have you two got your own brooms?"

Dudley and Harry shook their heads, Dudley looked away from the pale boy. He didn't like him much.

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No." Harry said to him. Dudley thought that Quidditch must be the sport that one would use racing brooms for. He resolved to look up Quiddtich as soon as he could.

"_I _do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house and I must say I agree." Dudley couldn't repress the feeling of wanting to punch the smugness off of his face. "Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No." Harry said again. Dudley didn't bother answering. The helper at his feet asked a question about his growth, he said that he tended to have growth spurts. She added an inch of fabric to the ends of his robes. He didn't mind.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they? But I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family has been - imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"Mmm." Dudley heard Harry reply. Then, looking towards Miranda, noticed Hagrid move into view beyond the window. He waved jovially at them, his hands full of ice-cream cones.

"I say, look at that man!"

"That's Hagrid." Dudley said, grinning at him and waving back.

"He works at Hogwarts." Harry added, waving too.

"Oh." said the boy, sniffing snobbishly. "I've heard of him. He's sort of a servant, isn't he?"

"He's the gamekeeper." Dudley was glad to hear the annoyance in Harry's voice. Good, Harry didn't like him either.

"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic and ends up setting fire to his bed." Dudley had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out at him. He knew now why Miranda always told them that gossiping was something mean to do. That story was a little too specific. The pale boy must've heard it from his wizarding parents.

"I think he's brilliant." Harry said coldly. Dudley nodded.

"Brilliant." He echoed. He didn't trust himself to say much more.

"_Do_ you?" sneered the boy. "Why? Is he with you? Where are your parents?"

Dudley spun about, the urge to punch the boy reaching a boiling point. The helper witch yelped at him and he froze.

"They're dead." Harry said shortly. Dudley glared at the pale boy. It wasn't any of his business.

"Oh, sorry." He didn't sound sorry at all, Dudley thought. "But they were _our_ kind, weren't they?"

"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."

Dudley had a feeling that was what the pale boy meant exactly. The helper witch doing Dudley's robes smiled up at him and told him that he was done. Dudley stepped down and shed the fitted robe quickly. He wanted to get away from the boy as quickly as he could. That pale-faced boy made him irrationally angry. Harry dropped down a moment later and they walked towards the entrance, where Miranda and Hagrid were waiting. Harry paid Madame Malkin for their six sets of robes and uniforms. He and Dudley were rather quiet as they left.

Hagrid beamed as he handed out the raspberry and chocolate ice-creams that had melted slightly while they had been in the shop.

"Boys, is everything alright?" Miranda asked, looking at them with concern. Dudley shrugged, once again unsurprised by Miranda's uncanny senses.

"Yeah." Harry lied. Miranda didn't press the issue, just suggested that they could go and get parchment and quills. The parchment store smelled like a fabulous old book. They stocked up on parchment and quills, Harry and Dudley becoming fascinated when they found an ink that changed color as you wrote. Miranda talked them out of it, reminding them that the most professional ink colors were black and blue. They ended up getting several of each. As they left the shop, Harry looked up at Hagrid.

"Hagrid, what's Quiddtich?"

Hagrid looked surprised, then frowned. "Blimey! I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowing about Quidditch!"

"Don't make us feel worse." Dudley grumbled, and he and Harry launched into telling Miranda and Hagrid about the pale boy.

"Stuck up little snobby git-"

"-and he said people from Muggle families should't even be allowed in-"

"Yer not _from_ Muggle families." Hagrid said firmly. "Not even you, Dudley. Now you listen to me, boys." Harry and Dudley looked up at him. "What does he know about it? Some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones with magic in 'em in a long line o' Muggles! Look at yer mom." he said, looking at Harry. "Muggle-born and top o' her year!"

"Also..." Miranda broke in quietly, "Having a long history of wizards doesn't mean that you'll be magic as well. Some of the most magical families have Squibs or Muggles."

"Don't you boys think on it for one minute, that not knowin' about the wizarding world means that yeh won't do as well as those from magic families." Hagrid said stoutly. "Magic is as magic does."

Dudley and Harry nodded. Dudley, for one, was feeling much better. It didn't matter that Harry had all the background that Dudley wished that he had. All that mattered would be how he applied himself. It was just like any other school.

"So what is Quiddich?" Harry asked as they started back down the street, towards a large bookshop called _Flourish and Blotts_.

Hagrid launched into a an explanation, although it was a lot shorter than Harry and Dudley wanted. They then asked him about the Hogwarts Houses and were shocked to learn that You-Know-Who had been at Hogwarts himself. "Years an' years ago." as Hagrid put it. They bought their books, Harry insisting again that he buy his and Dudley's books. Dudley grinned. He'd have new textbooks. Those were almost as important as the robes. He was grateful to Harry. They then insisted on perusing the rest of the bookstore, hoping to find some other wizarding books that may come in handy. Dudley felt especially triumphant at finding a second-hand copy of "_Hogwarts: A History_" and Harry found a copy of "_Quidditch Through the Ages_". Miranda had insisted that they move along, before he and Harry could buy the entire bookshop.

They spent a wonderful afternoon in Diagon Alley. Harry had to be talked out of a solid gold cauldron (Miranda insisted that it said pewter on their lists) and Dudley had to be shown that some potion ingredients would go bad before next year to be convinced that double Potions ingredients were a bad idea. They were laden with brown wrapped packages and stopped back at Madame Malkin's to pick up their robes. Dudley was secretly glad that the pale-faced boy wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Just yer wands left." Hagrid said, glancing at the list in Miranda's hand.

"The best place is Ollivander's." Miranda said with a smile that almost faded, but stayed up through a strong will. Dudley thought that he understood finally. Miranda never got to do this. She wasn't magical enough, she didn't go to Hogwarts. She...never got a wand. This had to be painful for her, but she was also happy for them. Dudley decided to make her breakfast the next day.

"Oh - and I haven't gotten ye boys birthday presents."

Harry and Dudley immediately started to protest, but Hagrid shooed them towards the wand shop. "Me and Miranda will get them while ye get yer wands."

"Absolutely." Miranda nodded, holding tightly to their packages. "And what do you say, boys?"

"Thank you, Hagrid!" They chorused. Miranda and Hagrid stood there as the boys entered the narrow and shabby shop. Dudley watched them turn to each other and start to discuss what to get them when the door closed behind him with a chime of small bells. It was a small place, the walls lined with thousands of small, long, thin boxes. Dudley swallowed. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. This must be what magic felt like. That tingle that spread though-out his entire body and made him feel like he was buzzing.

A ladder came zooming out of one of the aisles and an old man in an old-fashioned jacket looked down at them, his wild white hair framing his face. "Ahh..." he breathed, a smile coming over his face. "I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter." He climbed down off the ladder and gazed at them. "You have your mother's eyes." He gave them a flourishing bow. "I am Mr. Ollivander. Now...about your wand..." He turned and disappeared into the shop. They heard him digging around in the boxes. "It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here, buying their first wands."

_First wands?_ Dudley wondered. _Do wands wear out? Why would they, aren't they magic?_ He supposed that it must be like everything else; use it too much and it gets worn out and tired, like the holes in the bottom of trainers that you wear too often.

The old man came back out from the aisles, with a stack of boxes. "Here we are." he said quietly. Dudley wondered if the old man ever raised his voice. He didn't seem like the type. Dudley was surprised to see that, when Ollivander moved closer, his eyes were silver. Dudley thought that was a bit creepy. " Those silver eyes raked Harry's forehead. The old man's face fell slightly. "And that's where..." He reached out and but seemed to think better of it. He instead grabbed up one of the boxes and pulled a long thin stick from it. Dudley couldn't help but be a little unimpressed. It was just a stick of wood? "Try." Mr. Ollivander said, placing it into Harry's hand.

Harry and Dudley exchanged a look.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked, blinking.

"Give it a wave." Mr. Ollivander said, waving his hand in demonstration. Harry waved it, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it from his hand with a tutting sound. Then he handed Harry another wand. Harry waved this one too, but instead of nothing happening, all the drawers in a filing cabinet flew out, spilling their papers everywhere.

"No, no." Ollivander said, shaking his head. Harry tried out at least a dozen more wands, Mr. Ollivander becoming more and more excited as time passed. When the last wand broke a small jug on top of a bookcase, Mr. Ollivander disappeared back into the depths of his shop.

"Where do you think he's going?" Harry whispered to Dudley. Dudley shrugged.

"To get more wands?" he guessed, straining to look down the aisles. They remained quiet as they waited.

"I wonder..." came the quiet voice of Mr. Ollivander. He came back out from the back. He ceremoniously opened a box and handed Harry this wand. Even Dudley felt the change in the air. The still magic in the air seemed to swirl and Harry raised the wand and brought it down, red and gold sparks flew from the end. Dudley whopped and Harry grinned. "Curious...very curious..." Mr. Ollivander said wonderingly.

"Sorry..." Harry said, still gripping his wand. "But what's curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter." Mr. Ollivander said even more quietly, drawing close once more. Dudley took an instinctive step back. "Every single one. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather resides in your wand gave another feather... just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand when its brother...gave you that scar."

Dudley and Harry's eyebrows shot up into their hair, their eyes bugging out.

"Voldemort..." breathed Dudley.

"We do not speak his name!" Ollivander said, looking at Dudley. Dudley gave him a sheepish look. "The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter." Ollivander continued, turning back to look at Harry as if he was a ghost or angel. "It's not always clear why. But I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible! Yes... But great."

Dudley wasn't sure if he liked Mr. Ollivander.

Mr. Ollivander handed Harry the box for his wand and Harry put it back into it's velvet gently. Mr. Ollivander then turned to Dudley. "And for you, Mr...?"

"Dursley, sir. Dudley Dursley."

Mr. Ollivander gave him a small bow. "We'll find you the right wand, never fear." He said, gesturing for him to hold out his arms. Dudley raised his arms and then Mr. Ollivander moved in with a tape measure. Dudley thought it was rather peculiar. He took a good many measurements, before sliding back into the shelves and aisles, picking out boxes as he went. Ollivander came back with a much bigger stack of wands than Harry had and the wand trying began in earnest. Dudley had tried at least two dozen, before Mr. Ollivander handed him a long, reasonably flexible wand. Dudley felt the buzzing magic within him react. Without thinking, he swirled his wand like a conductor for an orchestra and lights flashed about him as music seemed to come from the air.

"Ahhh...yes." Mr. Ollivander smiled. "Twelve and a half inches, beech. Unicorn hair core..."

Dudley smiled. This was his wand. He had felt that dizzying, buzzing magic as it had connected deep within him. The wand had chosen him. He was about to wave it again when Mr. Ollivander pushed the velvet lined box into Dudley's hands. Dudley was loath to put his wand away, but knew that he must for the time being. He was closing up the box when Miranda slid into the shop, smiling.

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked.

"Outside." Miranda said. "He's keeping an eye on your presents."

Harry and Dudley exchanged excited looks.

"Got your wands?" Miranda asked, smiling. Harry and Dudley both showed her their wands and she oohed and ahhed over them appropriately. They thanked Mr. Ollivander and paid him. As they left his shop, he bowed once more to them. Dudley decided that Mr. Ollivander was alright. Creepy, but alright.

As they stepped out of the shop, Hagrid boomed out, "Happy Birthday!" As he stepped aside, Harry and Dudley saw two owls in large birdcages. One was snowy white and one was a tawny owl with handsome feathers. Harry and Dudley's mouths fell open. They had never had pets before, and now they had owls. Dudley stuttered out his thanks, gravitating to the tawny owl. Harry stood before the snowy owl, the same look of wonder in his eyes.

"Owls are very useful." Miranda said, smiling. "They carry your letters and can bring you the newspapers. They are also very loyal, so take good care of them."

Harry and Dudley nodded. "Of course."

They each carried their owl as Miranda and Hagrid carried the packages. They went to the pub and Miranda had them wait there with their packages and Hagrid while she went to fetch the car. It'd be easier this way. Dudley and Harry talked to Hagrid about Quidditch and soccer.

"Oh, and before I ferget." Hagrid said, reaching into his furry coat and pulling out an envelope. "Yer tickets for the Hogwarts Express." He handed it to Harry who grinned. "First o' September - King's Cross - it's all on yer ticket." He grinned at the beaming boys. "Can't wait ter see yeh there. You'll love it. I do. Always have, as a matter o' fact."

Just then, Miranda honked the horn out in the street. Hagrid helped them pile the packages into the trunk, while Harry and Dudley insisted that their owls sit with them. Hagrid bid them a fond farewell and stood there at the pub entrance, waving to them as they drove away. Harry and Dudley waved until they turned a corner and couldn't see him anymore.

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Author's Notes: Yes, I did take the Pottermore quiz for Dudley's wand. I'll also take the quiz for him to get Sorted. I want to thank my future husband for continuing to support me when I'm shouting story ideas at him and using him to enact the scenes that I'm seeing in my head. If this makes sense, you have him to thank for it. He has always said that I just needed to find the right story to tell. I guess this is it. So I'll tell Dudley's story and it go as far as I can take it and even further. Here we go!


	5. A Journey Begins

Wotcher and enjoy, you wonderful readers you. Once more, I own nothing and never have. Although I'd like to change that someday...

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Dudley was once again in shock. He almost couldn't believe that the next day was September 1st, the day that he would head to Hogwarts. He wouldn't believe it at all or would've dismissed it as a dream, if his cousin wasn't going as well and if he didn't have his tawny owl sitting there on his desk. He had decided to name his owl Merlin, after the most famous wizard of all. Merlin preened his feathers majestically; he had just come back from a night of hunting. Dudley and Harry were both keeping a window open so that their owls could come and go as they pleased. Dudley grinned at Merlin who hooted regally and tucked his head under his wing. Dudley looked from his owl to the trunk at the foot of his bed. The trunk was overflowing with wizarding supplies. Robes, books, a cauldron and potion supplies, socks, his parchment and ink, a bag to carry his books to classes and dragon-hide gloves were stuffed into the cauldron along with crystal vials and a telescope sat gleaming on the very top.

Dudley grinned, feeling that sense of excitement and fear that seemed to be a living part of himself these days. He really wanted to hold his wand again, but Miranda said that he wasn't allowed to use magic now that he was a wizard. She had explained something about a stature at the Ministry of Magic about underage magic and basically, he couldn't do magic outside of school. At least on purpose. His water glass still moved (not that he had experimented or anything). He supposed he still got a bit of leniency during this summer before he started at Hogwarts. At least no Ministry officials had come knocking on the door yet. He picked up his copy of _The Standard Book of Spells_ again, it was quickly becoming one of his favorites. That and _Magical Theory_. There was so much to learn from just these books alone. He had also flipped through _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi _and _A History of Magic. _He knew he should put his book back but he really enjoyed the pictures of what each spell was supposed to do after proper application. He couldn't wait to make things fly.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Dudley whooped and being careful not to toss his book, he grabbed a bookmark and laid it carefully with his other books in his trunk. Then he jumped off the bed and hurried out to the front foyer. Grandma and Grandpa were standing there, wearing their wizards robes and beaming at Miranda as they chatted.

"Grandma, Grandpa!" He yelled in excitement, stopping before he collided with him. "Hi!" He then gave them both a big hug just as Harry came tearing down the hall as well.

"There are my wizards!" Grandpa boomed out proudly. Dudley always had admired Grandpa. He had been a World War II soldier, with scars on his knees from shrapnel. He had always said that he joined the military right out of school, and Dudley now knew that the school had been Hogwarts. Grandpa was a little bent at the knees, but held himself high with a straight back and flashing dark eyes. He almost always wore a hat of some kind, his favorites were bowlers and pork-pie hats. Tonight it was a fedora.

Grandma Plumridge hugged Harry and Dudley beaming proudly. She had been a nurse at field hospitals right out of school. That's how she and Grandpa had met. Dudley couldn't wait to hear the story now that the wizarding secret was out. Grandma's hair was short and bobbed, but almost the exact same color as Miranda's. She was always smiling and sometimes had perfume on. Dudley couldn't smell any tonight.

"Are you boys excited?" Grandma asked, beaming. "I know I was! Couldn't sleep at all the night before!"

"Same here." Grandpa grinned. "Hogwarts is the greatest school in the world."

"Dinner's almost ready." Miranda called from the kitchen.

"Need any help, darling?" Grandma called back, starting forward. Dudley grabbed her hand and led her to the living room.

"No, no, Mother. Don't worry. Help yourself to the appetizers!" Miranda said with a big smile, stirring the gravy on the stove. She had started the large roast a couple hours earlier and had made mashed potatoes and salad. Miranda had put together a baked crab dip and sourdough bread for the appetizer and it was sitting in the living room, waiting for them all. Harry led Grandpa in and they all sat in the living room, spreading crab dip on the sourdough bread slices and talking.

"I've been reading _Magical Theory_." Dudley said as he bit into the bread slice. "It's really cool."

"I've flipped through every single book." Harry bragged, eating the crab dip right off of his bread slice.

Dudley gave him a small glare, but smiled back at Grandma and Grandpa. "Tell us about Hogwarts!"

"Yeah!" Harry agreed, grinning. "What's it like?"

"Oh, where to start?" Grandma smiled, settling a hand on Grandpa's knee. "The castle is enormous, boys, absolutely enormous. There are towers and dungeons and rooms that seem to lead no-where at all! Be careful of the staircases," she warned with a grin. "They like to change."

"They like to change?" Dudley said in wonder, immediately picturing staircases parading about in costumes. He doubted that's what Grandma meant, but it was funny.

"And there are some stairs that aren't there at all!" Grandpa grinned. "There are passageways behind tapestries and statues. I was there for seven years and I still don't think I managed to see everything inside that castle."

"Darling, remember Peeves?"

Grandpa groaned good-naturedly. "How could I forget that imp?" he laughed.

"Peeves?" Harry asked, through a mouthful of crab and bread.

"A poltergeist, boys." Grandpa explained. "And he's the meanest little son of a troll you ever met. He torments staff and students alike. Only seems to listen to the Headmaster, doesn't he?"

"And the Bloody Baron." Grandma added. "There are a lot of ghosts at Hogwarts, you know."

Dudley and Harry stared at her with wide, wide eyes. "Ghosts?!" they shouted together. "Real ghosts?!"

"Oh yes." Grandma nodded. "And each House has it's own ghost, like the Gryffindor ghost is Nearly Headless Nick."

"You mean Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington." Grandpa pretended to bluster, puffing out his chest and cheeks. "And don't mention the nearly headless thing."

"Nearly headless?" Dudley couldn't help but wonder. "How can someone be nearly headless?"

"They botched his execution, I'm afraid." Grandma said with a sigh. "Sir Nick will tell the story to anyone who will listen."

Harry and Dudley exchanged an excited look. Ghosts who could talk to people and tell stories? This place was sounding better and better.

"Oh, I remember walking around the Black Lake, hand in hand with your Grandfather there." Grandma said, getting this dreamy, far-away look on her face.

"I thought you guys met on the battlefield." Dudley and Harry said together, then looked at each other and laughed.

"We met again in the field hospital." Grandpa said with a goofy smile. Dudley hoped they wouldn't start kissing and crap. "We first met at school. We just couldn't tell you boys because of the Stature of Secrecy. No, Wanda and I were school sweethearts, but I broke things off when I joined the Army. Didn't want her to be an Army widow or something."

"Little did he know I followed him." Wanda smiled, grasping Grandpa's hand. "And imagine my surprise when he's pulled into my field hospital with horrific leg injuries! Well, I got him to St. Mungo's as quickly as I could and the rest is history. He asked me to marry him as soon as his legs were pulled back together."

"Dinner, everyone!" Miranda called, setting the roast down on the dining room table. "Daddy, will you carve?"

The questions flooding Dudley's mind were wiped away with the smells of Miranda's cooking. They all converged on the dining room table where the talk turned to school and classes. Dudley and Harry stuffed their faces, even saving room for the enormous chocolate cake. Grandma and Grandpa stayed late, even past ten, which was Dudley and Harry's bedtime. They went to bed, heads buzzing with excitement.

Dudley looked over at his Mother's birthday card, sitting on it's side with the others. It had come much later than usual. It was simple and without the usual lengthy letter inside. He wondered if she had known or suspected what he had turned out to be. He hadn't written back yet. He just didn't know what to say. What could he say? "_Dear Mother, How are you? I just found out about Harry's parents. Did you know that Aunt Lily and Uncle James had been murdered? And Harry and I are wizards and we're going to Hogwarts! I'm really proud of my wand. Love Dudley". _No, he couldn't say that. Maybe he'd find the right words at school...he was really tired tonight. Although he was buzzing with magic and excitement, his eyes slowly closed and he was asleep.

* * *

The next morning, they rushed about. It was surprising how many things they had forgotten. Harry's extra set of glasses, Dudley's loafers, their toothbrushes. They scrambled about with toast in their hands and sleep in the corners of their eyes. Miranda yawned several times, but managed to get them out the door with a lot of time to spare. Soon, they were speeding down the highway with their owls in their laps and wide eyes on the approaching London. Time seemed to fly and before Dudley really knew what was going on, they were parking and Miranda was going for carts. He and Harry stayed at the car to pull their trunks from the trunk of Miranda's car, with Merlin and Hedwig keeping their head tucked firmly underneath their wings. Miranda and Dudley loaded the trunks; she pushed the cart while Dudley and Harry both carried their owls.

"Don't pay attention to the looks we'll get." Miranda advised as they drew close to the entrance. "We will get stares. Just keep your head up and walk with a purpose, boys."

Dudley and Harry nodded, lifting their heads a little higher. And Miranda's words were true. As they walked through King's Cross, plenty of people craned their heads to take a look at their family, with their owls and large trunks.

"Platform Nine Three-Quarters..." Miranda muttered, nodding as they passed Platforms Seven and Eight. She held out a hand and stopped Harry and Dudley. Dudley looked about, trying to spot their platform. There was Platform Nine and Platform Ten...where was theirs? Dudley couldn't help but think that Platform Nine and Three-Quarters should be in-between the two...but there was nothing there. No Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. He looked up at Miranda and was about to say something when Harry made a noise. Dudley had never heard Harry make that noise before. He looked at Harry who was staring with bugged out eyes at the wall between Platform Nine and Platform Ten.

"What's up?"

"I just saw a two people disappear through that wall."

"What?!" Dudley yelped, jumping slightly.

"That's right." Miranda said, as if to herself. "I forgot for a moment how to get onto the Platform. Thank you Harry."

Dudley and Harry stared at her in both confusion and alarm. "What?" Dudley thought he was saying that a lot lately.

"What we're going to do, boys," Miranda said, looking at the wall with a small wistful smile on her face, "is walk straight at that wall. If you feel a little nervous about it, run."

"At the wall." Dudley said skeptically. "We run at the wall?"

"And then what?"

"Would you guys like me to demonstrate?" Miranda asked kindly. "It can be difficult to properly describe, but after all, action is worth more words than the words can tell you."

Dudley nodded, stupefied. Harry just stared. Miranda laughed softly and then set off with the cart. She walked forward with a purpose and Dudley was certain that she'd crash the cart into the wall. Then he blinked and she was gone. He and Harry stood there for a few moments, then looked at each other and with a new determination, started forward, gripping their owl cages tightly. They walked faster and faster, until they were running at the wall...but the crash didn't come. They kept running. They skidded to a stop, almost colliding with Miranda on the other side of the wall. Dudley blinked rapidly and took in the astounding sight of a large, bright scarlet steam engine sitting on the tracks, puffing and bursting with energy, _The Hogwarts Express_ engraved on a gold plaque on the side of the huge engine. The Platform full of people in Muggle clothes and wizard robes, bursting with children who were in a mix of all ages, trunks piled up, the chatting and shouting, and the ever present buzz of magic. Dudley took a deep breath. This was it.

Miranda smiled at them. "You did it, boys."

Harry and Dudley beamed at her just as another boy passed through the barrier behind them and almost collided with Dudley's cage.

"Oh, I say!" He said, swerving about Dudley. His cart held a much more tattered trunk and he was already in his school uniform. He had bright red hair and was very tall. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Dudley said, checking Merlin's cage. Merlin hooted softly, reassuring him. "Merlin's okay, too."

"Ah, good." The tall boy said, smiling. "Would you mind terribly if you moved off to the side, ma'am?" He asked Miranda. "My family's coming through."

"Of course." Miranda smiled, pushing the cart further along, just as two boys with the same bright red hair popped through the barrier, laughing merrily. They were quite obviously twins. "Com'n, boys." She started to push the cart down the Platform, but Harry and Dudley stayed for a moment or two longer, watching as a fourth boy, with his Mother and sister came through the barrier. Harry and Dudley grinned at each other.

"Good, everyone's through." said the plump, cheerful woman, giving each of her children a tap to count them. "Now to find you all a compartment - why, hello, Miranda!"

Dudley saw Miranda stop dead in her tracks. "Hello?" she said cautiously, turning to look backwards. Then her face lit up. "Molly!"

"It's been so long, dear!" The plump witch beamed, hurrying over to give Miranda a hug. "Are these yours?" She asked, looking at Harry and Dudley. Dudley nodded, smiling shyly.

"Yes, Molly. I'm sure my parents told your husband that I adopted two boys several years ago."

"I did hear it from Arthur, yes." Molly said. "Hullo, boys. First year?" They nodded, looking at her sons too.

"Mum, we're off." said one of the twins, waving to a boy further down on the Platform. "Lee's over there."

"Wait!" Molly commanded, reaching into her bag and pulling out some wrapped packages. She handed each of her boys one, the smallest frowning at it with something like disgust. "There. Now you can go."

The twins cheered and dashed off to see their friend Lee. The eldest nodded. "I'd best be on my way as well, mother. The prefects have their own car up front. I'll get myself settled and then come say goodbye to you and Ginny."

"Yes, yes, Percy." Molly beamed at him. He strode off, his cart rattling as he pushed it along. The young girl smiled shyly at Dudley and Harry. "Anyway, Miranda, those were my sons Percy, Fred and George, they're twins you know, this is Ron," she said, nodding at Ron who smiled glumly and nodded, "And this is Ginny." The girl waved her fingers at them. Harry waved back.

"Nice to meet you." Miranda said with a smile. "And this is Dudley and Harry."

Dudley and Harry nodded. "Hey."

"Hey." said Ron, grinning slightly. "Wanna go get an compartment?"

Dudley and Harry looked at Miranda who smiled and nodded. They grinned at Ron and nodded. Dudley looked back at Miranda as they walked down the platform. There were so many students. Dudley noticed that the first several cars were already full. They kept pushing down the platform until they reached almost the end of the train.

"There's one." Dudley said, pointing at a window. Harry quickly dashed over and jumped into the train. Dudley could see him pass a compartment or two, then appear in the compartment that he had pointed out. Harry nodded and waved at them before turning and setting Hedwig on a seat. Ron hurried to join him. Dudley, however, stayed put. He looked behind him to see where Miranda was. He could maybe see her...way down there...he sighed and shrugged. He'd just wait for her. He looked up and saw Harry and Ron talking in the compartment. Ron seemed to be admiring Hedwig. Dudley set his own owl cage down and smiled at Merlin.

"We've got a journey ahead of us, huh?" he said to Merlin quietly, although he doubted Merlin could hear him through the roar on noise on the platform. He looked back down the platform and saw Miranda pushing their cart through the crowds, assisted by the two red-headed twins. Dudley waved at them, they waved back. It wasn't a moment before they were there and Harry came out of the train.

"Ron's holding the compartment." Harry nodded, grinning. He went to his trunk and started tugging. One of the twins (Fred?) grabbed the other end and when Dudley reached for his, the other twin (George?) grabbed the other end.

"Thought we'd help out a bit." said (George?) as he helped Dudley lift his trunk.

"And say good-bye to likkle Ronniekins." (Fred?) grinned devilishly. Dudley grunted in agreement as Harry snorted. They lugged the trunks into the compartment and tucked them away in the overhead luggage racks. Harry made a noise of thanks and brushed his hair from his eyes.

"What's that?" asked (Fred?), pointing at the lightning bolt scar on Harry's forehead. Dudley immediately flushed slightly. It wasn't even his scar, but-

"Are you-?"

"You are!" exclaimed the other twin. "Aren't you?"

"What?" Harry said in confusion.

"Harry Potter!" Ron said in awe, staring at Harry's forehead. Dudley took a breath and made himself leave the compartment. Miranda was waiting. He heard Harry say something like - "Oh, him." as he stepped off of the train. Dudley strode back to Miranda, who was now standing with Molly and hugged her. She hugged him back and as she pulled away, he could see tears in her eyes.

"We'll be alright." Dudley said, with a bit of gruffness to his voice. "I'll look after him."

"Look after each other, Dudley." Miranda reminded, hugging him again. "Write to me."

"I will."

Just then, Harry descended from the train with Fred and George at his heels, Ron following close behind. They all gathered about their families and there were hugs all around. Dudley and Harry were telling Miranda that they'd write to her often when the train whistle blew, signalling everyone to board the train. Dudley couldn't believe that it was eleven already! They hurried back to the compartment and hung out of the window, Miranda giving each of them a kiss on the cheek.

Ron's little sister was crying on the platform, stamping her foot. "Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls." Dudley heard (George? Fred?) say.

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."

"_George!_" Molly scolded. Fred and George laughed.

"Only joking, Mum!"

Dudley felt the train jerk as it started forward. Then they were moving, he and Harry were waving, steam from the engine was blowing past. The platform pulled away and they pulled their heads back into the compartment as the train picked up speed. London began to flash by the windows. Dudley settled down on the seat next to Merlin and smiled at him. Harry and Ron sat on their side of the compartment and almost immediately started talking about wizards and magic. Ron's family were all wizards, except for an accountant.

"I heard you went to live with Muggles." Ron said. "What were they like?"

Harry gave Dudley a look. Dudley sighed. "They were horrible until Miranda adopted us." Dudley said shortly, getting up and reaching into his trunk. He'd get out _Magical Theory _and keep reading it.

"They were." Harry agreed. "But Miranda's been great. We only learned about wizards when our letters came." He grinned. "Wish we'd had three wizard brothers."

"Five." Ron said gloomily. And then he launched into his family's history, telling them all about his brothers. Dudley sat back down with his book and half listened as they kept talking. "-I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat." Dudley grinned as both Merlin and Hedwig looked up with sudden interest as Ron pulled an old rat from his jacket. "His name's Scabbers and he's useless." Merlin and Hedwig hooted, then tucked their heads back under their wings. Dudley made a mental note to give Merlin owl treats later.

"We didn't even know we were wizards until our letters came." Harry was saying. Dudley felt like maybe he should be part of the conversation, at least for now and set the book to the side. "Miranda told us about my parents and what happened on Halloween with Voldemort-"

Dudley wasn't too surprised to see Ron gasp and turn pale.

"What?" Harry said.

"_You said Who-Know-Who's name!_" Ron breathed in awe. "Wow..."

"See?" Harry said, as though it proved a point. "We've got loads to learn."

"That's why we're going to Hogwarts though, right?" Dudley said, scratching at his ear. "To learn stuff."

"I bet I'm the worst in the class." Harry muttered, blushing slightly. Dudley was surprised. Why would he be the worst in the class? Harry had the background, the parents, the magical blood, the...history. Of course he wouldn't be the worst in the class. However...he, Dudley...might just be.

"Nah, there's loads of people who come from Muggle families. They learn quick enough." Ron reassured him. They started talking about the classes and Dudley glanced out the window to see fields and cows and sheep speeding past the windows. The conversation was starting to hit a lull when they heard a rattling of wheels out in the corridor and a friendly looking old witch looked in on them, pushing a cart of sweets in front of her.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?" she asked.

"No thanks." Ron said, pulling the package of sandwiches out from a pocket. "I'm all set..."

Harry paused, looked at the cart, looked at Ron and Dudley, then hopped up. He went out into the corridor and came back with his arms bursting with sweets. Packages of jelly beans, boxes and bags with funny labels and cakes. Dudley's eyes went just about as big as Ron's as Harry dumped the lot on an empty seat.

"Woah..." Ron grinned. "Hungry, are you?"

"Starving." Harry said as he bit into a bright orange cake. "Go on, have some." Harry nodded to Dudley and Ron. Ron grinned nervously before he and Dudley settled into helping Harry eat all the candy, cakes and pastries. They talked about chocolate frogs (which weren't really frogs, but still had one good jump in them), Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans (they meant _every flavor,_ Dudley had toffee, grass, bacon, ginger, seaweed, rotten egg and popcorn), and about wizards' photographs and the history of the wizards and witches on the Chocolate Frog cards. They were getting into a discussion of charms and Ron had pulled out his wand to show them a spell that one of his brothers had given him to turn Scabbers yellow when a knock came on the compartment door. A girl with bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth opened the door. She was already dressed in the school uniform.

"Has anyone seen a toad?" She asked in an bossy sounding, exasperated voice. "A boy named Neville's lost one."

"No." They all chorused together. The girl sighed and was about to turn away when she spotted the wand in Ron's hand.

"Oh! Are you doing magic?" She said with interest. "Let's see, then."

Ron blushed slightly, then shrugged and waved his wand. "_Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow...turn this stupid fat rat yellow._" Scabbers whiskers sparked, but he just carried right on sleeping. Dudley was slightly disappointed.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" The girl said, tilting her head. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells, but they've all worked for me." And she sat down on an empty seat and launched into a speech about how her parents were Muggles and how she'd learned the course books by heart. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way. Who're you?"

Dudley sat there blinking.

"Ron Weasley." Ron muttered, putting his wand away.

"Dudley Dursley." Dudley said, automatically leaning back away from the girl. She was worse than Miranda after a bad day at the school.

"Harry Potter."

"Are you really?" Hermione said excitedly. "I know all about you, of course - I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events in the Twentieth Century._"

"Am I?" Harry asked, his eyes bugging slightly. Dudley wouldn't have been surprised if he was in more books than that.

"Course you are, Harry. They were going to make Halloween '_Harry Potter Day_', remember?" Dudley said with a laugh. Ron and Harry laughed appreciatively, but the girl simply sniffed.

"I'm surprised they didn't." She said, smoothing out her skirt. "Goodness, I would have found out everything I could if it were me."

All the boys shot each other glances as she continued to talk. "Do any of you know what house you'll be in? I've been asking around and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I heard that Dumbledore himself was in Gryffindor, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad. Anyways, you all better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon." And then she jumped up and flounced out the door.

They all sat there for a moment before Dudley started chuckling, then Harry joined in and Ron gave off a loud laugh that had them all rolling in the aftermath wrappers. "Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it." Ron laughed, grinning at them. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, shoulda known it was a joke."

"What house are your brothers in?" Harry asked.

"Gryffindor." Ron replied, grabbing another cauldron cake. "Last one, that okay?" Harry and Dudley nodded. Dudley didn't want to look at another cake or pastry for the rest of the day at least! Week, maximum. "I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

And then Harry and Ron went on talking about houses and Quidditch and Dudley felt strangely...left out. When he noticed that they were a little too caught up in their conversation, he picked up his book and started reading back at his bookmark. He read in strange comfort as Harry and Ron talked and talked. The light began to fade and a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."

"It's that late already?!" Ron yelped, leaping up. "We gotta get into our robes before we get there!" They scrambled for a few minutes, quickly changing. Dudley helped Harry to tie the basic school tie and Harry grabbed owl treats for Merlin and Hedwig.

"We're almost there, Merlin." Dudley said, pushing three treats through the cage bars. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and joined the rest of the students in the corridor as the train slowed down and eventually came to a complete stop.

"Now arriving, Hogsmeade Station." The voice echoed again, as the doors to the train opened and the students spilled out onto the open-air platform. The night was very cool. Dudley was glad of the robe, he imagined he'd be quite chilled in his t-shirt. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students and an all too familiar voice called out -

"Firs' years, firs' years this way! Alright there, boys?"

Dudley grinned.

* * *

Arthur's Notes: So this chapter took forever to write. I honestly didn't think that it'd be this hard. But the movies and the books and now it's from Dudley's perspective...it was so difficult figuring out what to keep and what to toss. I think it'll be a bit easier once we get to Hogwarts and Dudley gets sorted into his house. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and commented.

As a Hufflepuff, I really wanted to make a type of onion gravy that is described at both Hogwarts and Miranda's house. _The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook_ has a good one and here's the recipe. There are a few changes I made, I like experimenting in the kitchen.

_Onion Gravy_

_1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil_  
_1 onion, chopped (I used one and a half onions. I like onions)_  
_3 tablespoons flour_  
_14 ounces water_  
_1 14-ounce can of chicken broth  
Salt and pepper to taste_

_Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until almost caramelized stirring occasionally. Add flour and stir to combine. Add water and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Once it starts to thicken, turn the heat back down to low, always stirring. Add the salt and pepper at this time. Serve hot or warm over anything meaty. I liked it over meatballs and potatoes._


	6. Under the Lake

Wotcher, darling readers, and hello! What a wonderful week. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy Dudley's travels into the magical realm.

* * *

Dudley and Harry fought their way through the crowd, making their way to Hagrid, standing over on the side of the platform, waving his lantern.

"Alright there, boys?" Hagrid boomed as he spotted them in the lantern's glow. Dudley and Harry beamed at him as they nodded. "Firs' years!" Hagrid called out over the crowd again, waving more first years over to him. "Firs' years, over 'ere!" He looked down at all the faces looking up at him and grinned. "Anymore of yeh? No? Alright, com'n then." He waved them to follow him and the first years followed the immense form of Hagrid off the platform and down a steep, narrow path along the edge of the woods. Dudley could've sworn that he had seen something moving just beyond the lantern's glow. The first years all stayed relatively quiet, there were a few whispers and a few complaints about the trail.

"Yeh'll get yer first look o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder to them. "jus' around this bend 'ere."

And there it was. Dudley felt his heart stop and then start again. There was a collective "Ooooooh!" from his fellow students. Dudley blinked, still trying to comprehend the sight in front of him. Even the stories from his Grandma and Grandpa hadn't prepared him for the sheer...beauty of the sight. In front of them was a massive dark lake, glimmering in the moonlight. On a cliff side on the opposite side, it's windows sparkling against the starry backdrop of night, was the vast castle of Hogwarts, with many turrets and towers and the buzzing deep within Dudley seemed to surge. His heart seemed to swell.

_'Home..._' he thought, then grinned. And indeed, it would become home in time. He glanced to his side and saw Harry's eyes were enormous behind his glasses.

"Cool..." he said to him. Dudley nodded. It was VERY cool.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called out. Dudley noticed that he was pointing at a fleet of boats on the lake's shore. He and Harry moved forward and were followed into their boat by Ron and the boy who had been looking for his toad.

"Neville, right?" Dudley asked him quietly. The boy sniffled and nodded. "Ever find your toad?"

"No." said the boy miserably. "Gran'll kill me."

Dudley made a noise of sympathy just as Hagrid yelled, "Everyone in? Right then - FORWARD!"

Dudley grasped the edge of the boat as it suddenly started forward, gliding along the glassy surface of the lake with its fellows, towards the castle. No-one could speak, such was the grandness of the sight before them. As they drew closer, it seemed more and more majestic as the sheer size dwarfed everyone, even Hagrid. They sailed closer and closer to the edge of the cliff.

"Heads down!" Hagrid called out and very quickly, they all ducked as one. They passed through a curtain of ivy that hid a large opening in the cliff and down a short tunnel that lead them to a kind of underground harbor; Dudley supposed it could be called a boat-cave instead of a boathouse. The little boats moved forward until they came to rest on the gravelly shore and all the first years clambered out of the boats. They moved forward and waited while Hagrid checked the boats behind them, just in case.

"Oy, who's toad is this?" Hagrid asked, holding out a particularly warty specimen.

"Trevor!" Neville cried, running forward and taking the toad gently from Hagrid's massive hands. He hurried back to the group of first years, grinning. Dudley gave him a grin and Neville grinned back. Then they followed Hagrid up a staircase in the rock, across a smooth grassy lawn up into the shadows of the castle. Dudley tried to keep his stomach down. He couldn't keep it from fluttering, but he had to keep it down. This was just so…_cool_. They all walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded about a huge oak double door. Hagrid banged upon it and the doors opened by themselves.

"Right, you lot." Hagrid said, looking down at all the first years with a grin. "Right up those stairs, there and Professor McGonagall will meet yeh at the top. Got it? Off yeh go!"

Dudley swallowed nervously, but he followed the crowd up the stairs and as he looked behind him, he saw Hagrid wink up at him just before the enormous doors closed again. As the crowd slowed to a stop, Dudley realized that Professor McGonagall was waiting at the top for them. She was a tall witch, with a severe face and a no-nonsense look in her eyes. He grinned. He liked her.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said to them them, her lips pressed in a thin but warm smile. The crowd of first years stopped, looking up at her. "Now, in a few moments, you will go through these doors and join your classmates. But before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your Houses." Dudley and Harry looked at each other and grinned. "They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." They all seemed to grin and nod at her. Her face took a more serious look. "Now, while you're here, your House will be like your family. Your triumphs will win you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup-"

"Trevor!" Neville cried as his toad slipped from his hands and made a bid for freedom. He jumped after it, knocking over a few students as he grasped wildly at the toad. He grabbed it up and stood up, his face riddled with shame and he mumbled apologies as he shuffled back to his spot next to Ron. Several students shook their heads and Professor McGonagall gave him a stern look. But she went on. Dudley nodded. There was nothing to gain from pointing the kid out. He agreed with Professor McGonagall and his respect for her rose. "The Sorting Ceremony will be begin momentarily." She informed them, before turning about to go to the large double doors in front of them, which Dudley assumed were the doors to a dining hall of some kind, where the rest of the school was. While she was gone, he took the chance to look around him. The castle was enormous, he could tell that right off the bat. They were in some sort of entrance hall, as near as he could figure. There was a magnificent marble staircase that led up into the rest of the castle and doors on the walls that led to rooms and passages and other places. The stone walls held torches in scones, throwing warm light upon the stones, making them glisten. And as always, in places like this, the smell of old and magic and secret things. Dudley drew a shaky breath and grinned. They were here.

"So it's true, then. What they were saying on the train."

Dudley rolled his eyes silently. He recognized that voice.

"Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

He and Harry looked up at the speaker. Sure enough, it was that pale-haired boy from Madame Malkin's. He was smirking at the whispers that started after he had spoken and he seemed to look more slimy than he had at first. It was the hair. It was slicked back with what Dudley guessed was slug slime. It was way too shiny. The boy stepped up to Harry, flanked on both sides by boys that rivaled Dudley for girth and height. He eyed them with distaste; they did the same to him.

"This is Crabbe." He said, jerking his head at one of them. "And Goyle." He stepped forward, swaggering to a stop in front of Harry. "And I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron snorted with derision. Malfoy's slimy head whipped to glare at him. "Think my name's funny, do you?" he sneered. "No need to ask you yours. Red hair, and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley."

Ron suddenly looked so shamed that Dudley was hard put not to slug Malfoy in the face.

"You'll soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter." Malfoy was looking back at Harry, Dudley glared at his friends. They glared back. "You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort." he jerked his head in Ron's direction; Ron went pale under his freckles. "I can help you there."

And Malfoy held out his hand to Harry. Dudley watched as Harry looked at the hand, looked back up at Malfoy and said, cool as a cucumber, "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

Dudley didn't know where that came from. Harry wasn't usually that upfront with bullies. He grinned, silently proud of his cousin. He then stepped up, showing that he was a good two inches taller than Malfoy.

"Might want to back off." he said in an undertone. Malfoy's friends made to move forward and Malfoy looked as though he might say something, but at that precise moment, Professor McGonagall was back. She tapped Malfoy on the back and when he saw who it was, he moved back to his friends on the side of the staircase. He shot both Harry and Dudley a glare as he left. Professor McGonagall watched him go and then she smiled at the rest of them.

"We are ready for you now. Follow me." Then she turned and walked towards the huge wooden doors. They followed her eagerly, through the carved doors into the enormous Great Hall. Dudley didn't think that he could have even imagined such a place. Cavernous, it was large enough to hold four House tables (each one stretched from the back of the Hall to the front, each one lined with faces that watched them enter), a large staff table and along the back wall, were four enormous hourglasses, filled with colored stones. Dudley wondered what they could possibly be used for. The ceiling was massive and…open? He was looking out at the starry night sky that they had left outside, but somehow, was there. Then he remembered, he had read about this in _Hogwarts, A History_. The ceiling had been bewitched to look reflect the sky outside. It was a lot different, reading about it. The actual effect was breathtaking. The walls were lined with fire filled braziers and in-between sky and floor were hundreds of candles, floating in midair. He wondered briefly if they dripped wax.

He and the rest of the first years kept following Professor McGonagall up the aisle created between two of the large house tables, towards the staff table. As they got closer, Dudley could see that the staff table was actually higher than the rest of the floor, for it was resting on a sort of stage or platform. He supposed it was so that the teachers could all keep an eye on all the students. As they got even closer, he could see through the gaps in the students, a carved wooden stool. And on that stool, a hat. An old, patched hat. As they approached the staff table, Professor McGonagall motioned for them to fill in the space between the House tables and the teacher's platform. They all silently filled out.

"Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."

Dudley and the rest of the first years strained to get their first look at this famous wizard. Dudley's first thought was that he looked just like the storybook wizards that he had seen illustrated. He had the longest white beard that Dudley had ever seen and was wearing the most comfortable looking robe of dark red velvet. His hat matched. Professor Dumbledore stood up and held up his hands. The students all fell silent.

"I have a few start of term notices I wish to announce." Dudley was struck by his voice. It didn't sound old at all. "First years, please note, that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden for all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third floor corridor on the right hand side of out of bounds for anyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. Thank you." He spread his arms wide and smiled. "Let the Sorting Ceremony begin."

There was applause as the Headmaster sat back down and Dudley had to wonder what he had been signed up for. _Out of bounds? Painful death? What kind of school was this?_ Then he noticed that all of the teachers were looking towards the hat. As if they expected it to do something.

And just then, the hat on the stool twitched. It shook. A rip appeared along the brim, like a mouth and, to his great surprise, the hat began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me!  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._"

The Sorting Hat went on in it's song, telling them about brave Gryffindors, loyal Hufflepuffs, wise Ravenclaws and cunning Slytherins. And when it finished, the entire Hall burst into applause. Dudley was too stunned to clap along. It bowed to all four tables, then became silent once more.

"So all we've got to do is try on the Hat!" Ron whispered to Harry and Dudley. "I'll murder Fred, he was going on about having to wrestle a troll."

Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled a long sheet of paper. "Now, when I call your name, you will put the Hat upon your head and sit on the stool to be sorted." She smiled rather kindly at them. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Dudley felt his heart speed up quite a bit as a girl with blonde pigtails went up, put on the Hat and sat on the stool. She sat there for just a moment when suddenly -

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The table on the right cheered and Hannah pulled the Hat off and ran to join the table, which cheered her on. And so it went on like that, the Hat yelling out the names of the Houses, the First years getting cheers as they were Sorted and the line seemed to be moving quickly. Suddenly -

"Dursley, Dudley!"

Dudley felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. He swallowed nervously and as he stepped forward, he felt Harry pat his back reassuringly. He walked up, took the Hat from Professor McGonagall and sat on the stool. He jammed the Hat down on his head and somehow it managed to slip over his eyes. Before he could yank it back up, a voice echoed in his ear.

"_Well, well…"_ it whispered. "_Aren't you something? Ambitious, thirsty, oh my, your talents…and a desperation to prove that you are not your Father. Very interesting…well, there's only one place for you, isn't there?_" And it shouted the last word, his House, to the Hall.

"SLYTHERIN!"

As the Hat was pulled from his head, the table on the far right burst into cheers. He waved at Harry, grinning and…was shocked to see his cousin staring at him in disbelief and a little bit of…anger? He was almost rooted to the spot, but Professor McGonagall gave him a small tap on his shoulder and he walked off the platform and joined his House. He sat in a seat next to a rather large girl and across from Crabbe from earlier. An older male student with a glittering Prefect badge pinned to his robes leaned across the table and shook his hand, smiling.

"Welcome to Slytherin." he beamed. "I'm Michael Hughes."

"Hullo." Dudley managed as "Finch-Fletchly, Justin!" became a Hufflepuff. He turned to watch the rest of the Sorting. There were plenty of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Goyle became a Slytherin and as he predicted, Malfoy did as well. When Malfoy sat down, he smiled at Dudley and held out his hand across the table.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot." he said smoothly. "I'm Draco Malfoy."

"Dudley Dursley." Dudley mumbled, deciding to shake the proffered hand. After all…his House was to be like his family, right? Crabbe and Goyle also shook his hand and then they all turned to watch the rest of the Sorting. When it was Harry's turn, the entire Hall grew dead silent. Dudley watched as the Hat went over his cousin's eyes and waited with bated breath to hear his House. When the Hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!", the entire school burst into applause, none louder than the Gryffindor table. Dudley could hear Fred and George Weasley chanting "We got Potter, we got Potter, we got Potter!" Dudley was nearly the only one at the Slytherin table to clap along with the rest of the school. The Sorting Ceremony was quickly coming to a close. One of the last ones was Ron, who also became a Gryffindor. The very last one was "Zabini, Blaise!" who became a Slytherin. As the clapping died down and Blaise joined their table, Dumbledore stood up.

"Let the feast…begin."

Dudley stared in amazement as the golden dishes all along the table filled with the most amazing smelling food. Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, roast beef, pork and lamb chops in butter and herbs, boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, fries, ketchup and so many others. Dudley's mouth instantly began to water. He immediately tucked in. He helped himself to the roasted chicken and boiled potatoes, covered the entire thing in gravy and stuck some peas on there. Miranda would've scolded him if he didn't eat a single vegetable all day. Malfoy was eating chicken and ham, and passed Dudley the gravy when he asked for it on his second plate of food. He wasn't quite sure what to say, so he kept his mouth filled almost all night. Just when he thought he couldn't eat another bite, the savory main course disappeared and in it's place were pies and cakes, donuts and ice-creams, eclairs and treacle tarts! Dudley just about burst.

Malfoy started talking about his meals back at the Manor and how they had so many servants and how his parents had been in Slytherin too.

"So your whole family's magical?" Dudley asked after swallowing a bite of chocolate eclair. Malfoy nodded proudly.

"We Malfoys are one of the purest of the pureblood families out there. We can trace our history back hundreds of years." He nodded to Dudley. "What about yours?"

Dudley shrugged. He decided to keep it as simple as possible. "My aunt and uncle were magical." he said. "That's all I really know."

"Oh." Malfoy seemed to sneer. Dudley decided to ignore it. The food was just too good to start a quarrel here. Then Malfoy leaned in, his grey eyes sparking. "So, how do you know Harry Potter? You were with him that day in the robe shop."

Dudley swallowed his bite of chocolate and cream rather hard. "He's my cousin." he muttered, taking a swig of milk to help wash it down.

Everyone sitting around him got wide-eyed. "You're Harry Potter's cousin?" Hughes asked, a small look of disbelief on his face. Dudley felt his face start to burn. Was this what Harry felt like in the tavern and at the table right now?

"Yeah." Dudley said gruffly. "So what?"

"So you've got to know-"

"Don't know anything about that." Dudley said sharply. He knew instantly what was about to be asked. And he wasn't going to have any part of it. "Besides, it's not really my business."

Hughes and a few others pulled back, faces suspicious and a little accusing when Malfoy said something that surprised him. "I don't blame you, you know." he grabbed a second piece of apple pie, nodding. "Family business is family business, after all."

Dudley nodded, taking another eclair. He couldn't help it, these eclairs had the thickest cream and the creamiest chocolate. He wondered if he could replicate the recipe. "So what class are you looking forward to?"

"Potions." Malfoy said decisively. "The Potions Professor is an old friend of the family, Professor Snape." He gestured towards the staff table. Dudley tried to look and saw a stern man with long black hair and a sharp nose. "Professor Snape is also the head of Slytherin. We've had him over for dinner several times."

"Cool." Dudley said, biting into his eclair. Was it his imagination, or did Malfoy's cheeks get a touch of color in them? For the rest of dessert, they talked about potions and charms and Malfoy filled him in a bit about some history that he didn't know. The eating slowed down and eventually stopped. The plates were emptied and the students sat there, groaning good naturally about how full they were. Professor Dumbledore rose from his seat and everyone looked towards him.

"And now, bedtime! First years, look towards your Prefects to guide you to the dormitories. Good night!"

The school all stood and Dudley followed his House out the large double doors and through a door in the Entrance Hall that lead down into the depths of the school. They followed the staircase down to a corridor lined with doors. The prefect lead them down the corridors until they reached a wall suspiciously devoid of anything. Hughes grinned back at them all and turning to the wall, he said, "Caprificus!" The wall seemed to slide aside and they all piled through the doorway into the large common room. The common room was huge, filled with dark and green furniture, lined with bookcases that held books and instruments and a skull or two. There were tapestries all along the walls depicting famous wizards and witches in medieval battles and all dressed in green and silver. The windows were black, Dudley thought it was odd that he couldn't even see the grounds.

"I can't wait to see the Black Lake through those windows." Blaise said from behind him. _They were under the Lake?!_

"First years, before you go off, I want to share a few words with you." Hughes said, motioning them to pay attention to him. Older students were filing in all about them, heading to the two corridors that branched off into the dormitories. The first years all gathered about. "First of all, welcome to the Slytherin house. I'm very happy to meet you all. Secondly, the password changes every fortnight. The new password will be displayed on the message board next to the door." Hughes gestured to it and everyone looked. "Most importantly, I know some, if not all, of you have heard the rumors about Slytherin House. Well, I'm here to say that they are not all true."

Dudley felt his eyebrows shoot into his hairline as some of the other first years started muttering and whispering. Hughes continued.

"Yes, our House has turned out Dark wizards. But so have the other houses. They just don't like to admit it. After all, Merlin himself was a Slytherin!" And Dudley felt reassurance for the first time since the Sorting Hat had called out "SLYTHERIN!". His owl's name was Merlin. Merlin had been a Slytherin. He smiled as Hughes continued to speak. "For those who are a little frightened, that's alright. We do tend to...expound on our wild reputation. But you will notice that we are one of the most respected houses. My best advice...keep your mind open, keep your heart loyal and be like our emblem. Slippery, cunning and ambitious. If you have any questions or need anything, please come to me or another of your Prefects. We'll help you with whatever you need. Once you are a Snake, you are a Snake for life."

Dudley felt himself starting to grin. He was liking this House more and more. So there was a few sods like Malfoy. So what? Snakes were loyal, slippery, cunning and ambitious. He could make himself great here.

"Girls, your dormitories are to the left; boys, the same on your right. You'll find your belongings at the foot of your bed. No worries, your owls have been safely taken to the Owlery. I can help anyone find it if they need to. Good night, everyone!"

Dudley and the rest of the first year boys trooped down the corridor to the right until they came upon a door with "_First Years_" engraved upon a silver plaque. They entered to find five antique four-poster beds with green silk hangings. He made his way to his trunk. His bed was on one of the ends, Malfoy ended up being in the middle, flanked as always by Crabbe and Goyle. Blaise was at the other end, opposite Dudley. Dudley was next to a window, looking out into the depths of the lake. He could hear the currents of the lake brushing across the glass and it sounded somewhat soothing. Kinda like the relaxation CDs that Miranda would play if she got too stressed out. He pulled his blue pajamas out of his trunk, resolving to ask Miranda to send him green ones once she got the chance.

"My father knew I'd be in Slytherin. Yours, Zabini?"

"It was Slytherin or nothing." Blaise said with a measure of pride. Dudley scratched at his head, twisting his neck so that it cracked slightly. "You?" Blaise said to Dudley, looking directly at him.

"Didn't matter." Dudley shrugged. "Was just happy I got in, you know?"

"What, did you have a late manifestation?" Blaise inquired, pulling on his own silver and green pajamas. Malfoy's seemed to be a smaller version of something that Dudley was sure that his Father wore, complete with miniature smoking jacket and robe. Crabbe and Goyle wore long nightshirts with slippers.

"Sort of." Dudley said, stretching slightly. He was feeling just a little too full. "Grandma and Grandpa were really proud when I got my letter."

"Oh, who are your grandparents?" Malfoy asked, seeming to be honestly curious.

"Their last name's Plumridge."

"Oh, Mr. Plumridge from Experimental Charms at the Ministry!" Draco nodded. "Father is always talking about him."

Dudley seriously doubted whether Draco's Father talked about Grandpa _all_ the time. "He's good at what he does." Dudley said, climbing into bed. "We get our schedules in the morning, right?"

"Father said to expect them at breakfast." Draco nodded, climbing into his own four-poster bed. The rest of the boys followed suit and it wasn't long until they were all underneath their green and silver bedspreads, the torches were dimmed and Dudley fell asleep to the sounds of gently rolling currents.

* * *

Author's Notes: And this might be the last update for the next two weeks. I'm still not sure if I'll update next week or not; it depends on the stress in the days leading up to the wedding. If I don't update next week, the next update will be in the first week of June. Thank you so much!


	7. Where Dudley Learns Something

Wotcher, everyone! Thanks to everyone for the reviews, congratulations, favorites and follows! Everything went perfectly and even though I caught tonsillitis on the cruise, it was still magical. Thank you to all of my fantastic readers for your patience and I hope that you enjoy Dudley's first classes!

Oh and I own nothing and never have, etcetera.

* * *

Dudley looked down at the schedule in his hands; Hughes had handed them out only moments into breakfast. They had Herbology on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, Transfiguration Monday and Wednesday mornings, Charms and History of Magic on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Defense of the Dark Arts on Tuesday afternoons, double Potions on Friday morning...with the Gryffindor first years. Dudley grinned, he'd get to have a class with Harry, then. Cool. He folded his schedule and tucked it into an inside pocket of his robes. He was really amazed that his robes had been magically changed overnight to the Slytherin colors. His tie as well. He felt really well dressed, even next to the other Slytherin first years - especially Draco Malfoy.

Dudley went back to his breakfast potatoes and eggs, grinning. He was looking forward to his first magic lesson. Transfiguration would be in room 1B. He was pretty sure that it meant the ground floor, somewhere past the Great Hall. He washed down the rest of his breakfast with orange juice and stood up, grabbing his backpack as he did so. He blinked in amazement as his plate cleared itself as he left. He didn't think he'd ever get used to that.

He spotted Hughes a little way up the Slytherin table and went up to ask him where the Transfiguration classroom was. He tapped Hughes on the shoulder when there was a small lull in his conversation and asked, "Classroom 1B is on this floor, right?"

Hughes nodded and swallowed his mouthful of food. "Yes, right down the left hand passage. It's past the entrance to the dungeons, so you can't really get lost. The numbers are on the doors." Hughes gave him a grin. "Good luck on your first day."

"Thanks." Dudley said, grinning back. He settled his backpack further up on his shoulders and set off. The rest of the school was slowly emptying out of the Great Hall and he joined a small throng of students that were heading for the classrooms passage on the ground floor. He kept his eyes on the door markers and found it relatively quickly. He pulled open the door and stepped inside.

It was a large classroom, with high ceilings. There were high windows that went almost to the ceiling. Each of the desks could seat two students and there were already a few students seated throughout the classroom. Professor McGonagall was already seated at her own desk at the front, organizing papers and glancing up every time the door to her classroom was opened. He gave her a small smile and grabbed a seat in his strategic place of middle of the classroom. Not too far up front to risk being called on, yet not too far in the back to draw attention from suspicious eyes. He pulled out his Transfiguration book and opened it to the first chapter. He hadn't read too much into it yet, it was really technical and he knew from experience at Muggle school that if something was technical, he benefited more from being shown rather than told how it worked. He was looking forward to the Transfiguration lesson.

Slowly others trickled in, until all of the seats were full of Slytherins and Ravenclaws. Most of the Ravenclaws sat together, already comparing notes and discussing stuff laid out in chapter one of the book. Draco swaggered in with Crabbe and Goyle, almost last in the room. Dudley gave him a wave and Draco gave him a nod in return. They made their way over and Draco sat at the next desk over with Goyle while Crabbe sat next to Dudley.

"Hey." Dudley said, pulling out a sheet of parchment and his blue ink pot. Crabbe grunted and did likewise. Professor McGonagall stood up and everyone looked towards her. No-one kept talking. Dudley had to respect her. Not many teachers could control a classroom with just their presence.

"Good morning, First Years." Professor McGonagall stated, stepping out in front of her desk. "I am Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor." She tapped a movable chalkboard with her wand; the chalk picked itself up and began to write as she spoke "Transfiguration is what is known as a technical and precise branch of magic. Difficult at times to perform, disastrous if performed improperly. In this class, you will learn to transform one object into another or the other way about."

The students all began taking notes as Professor McGonagall went on to explain the finer details of the book more finely and to write out the transformation formula for them. (_The intended transformation (T) is directly influenced by body-weight (A), viciousness (V), wand power (W), concentration (C) and a fifth unknown variable (Z*), or __T = (W x C)/(V x A) x Z*_)

Dudley had just finished writing it all out when he realized that it echoed very closely to scientific or mathematical formula. He made a note for himself at the bottom of his paper to make sure to use his old math and sciences study methods for Transfiguration.

"Now, as Tranfiguration is an exceedingly useful branch of magic, it also has it's set limitations. Each transfiguration has its own limitations, we will be exploring each as we come into contact with them." Professor McGonagall went on. Then she became very stern. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Dudley made an extra large note on his parchment, "_NO EXPERIMENTS._"

Professor McGonagall rapped on the chalkboard once more and the board wiped itself clean. "Now then," she continued. (The chalk started writing again.) "There are four basic branches of Transfiguration. They are Transformation, Vanishment, Conjuration, and Untransfiguration. Transformation is the deforming or altering of the target in some fashion. There are three sub-branches - "

And Dudley fell into taking very detailed notes; that always worked best when he was in science or maths classes at Muggle school. Transfiguration was a very wide subject, it covered a lot of ground. By the end of the lesson, Professor McGonagall had shown them their first Tranfiguration wand movement (a very basic lift and tap motion) and had started them trying to turn a match into a needle. A few of the Ravenclaws had managed to make the match shine but most of the matches were still matches by the end of the period. Their homework was to practice the wand movement and to study the Transfiguration formula, in relation to the the match. Dudley was secretly glad that there was no essay.

"That wasn't nearly as hard as Father said it would be." Malfoy drawled as the bell rang and they gathered up their things. "He was saying that I'd have to watch myself with McGonagall. It's not so hard."

Dudley shrugged. "I dunno." He said, pulling his backpack on. "Vanishment and Trans-Species Transfiguration sounded rather difficult and all. And no-one go their match to turn into a needle."

Draco laughed. "We won't be learning that stuff for years." he laughed, shouldering his own bag. "At least not until our O.W.L year. We'll all have needles next class time. It's not that hard."

"Huh." Dudley grunted in reply. "Doubt it'll be an easy climb, though."

"This'll be easy." Draco said smugly. He turned, Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him and motioned to Dudley to follow them. "We're going to the courtyard. Coming?"

Dudley shook his head. "No, I have a letter to write."

"Awwww, promise your mummy that you'd write every day?" Draco sneered. Dudley wasn't sure if he was meaning to be joking or trying to be hurtful. Either way, the jab didn't make sense to him.

"No." Dudley said, making his way out of the classroom. "I just feel like I should. And that reminds me, I actually have two letters to write. I wonder where the library is?" And he walked off, waving over his shoulder. "See you at Herbology!" He was glad that he had decided to treat Draco the same way that he would usually treat Harry if he was being annoying or trying to pick a fight. After all, his House was to be like his family, right? He quickly walked down the hallway to the Entrance Hall and started up the marble staircase. He figured he'd explore the first two levels to see if he could find the library and if he couldn't find it then, to ask a ghost or a professor or something. It was always a good idea to know where the library was.

He found it on the third level. He thought it had to be the biggest library he had ever seen. Books, books, books as far as he could see. There were openings where tables were gathered where students could study, there were chairs tucked away in corners where someone could get lost in a good book, and there were even more shelves of books behind a locked door labeled "The Restricted Section". There were a few students tucked away in the shelves already, a few at the tables, doing the first day's homework. He sat down at a table, surrounded by the smell of old books and small dust particles dancing in the sunbeams streaming in from somewhere far above him. He pulled out a few sheets of parchment. He arranged his quill and ink pot. Then took a breath and began to write.

_Dear Miranda,_

_Hogwarts is amazing! Hagrid took us across the Black Lake on boats to the main castle and we got sorted into our Houses in front of the whole school. It was really scary but we got through it. Harry got sorted into Gryffindor and I got sorted into Slytherin! I've already had my first Transfiguration class and I think I'll be able to use the maths and science studying techniques that you taught me. Professor McGonagall kinda reminds me of Ms. Gingerwall from school. No nonsense and very tall. Professor McGonagall is taller than her, I think. But only by a little. The Slytherin common room is so cool. We're under the Black Lake! I can see fish and stuff from outside my window. But it's not cold or damp at all, so you don't need to worry. The guys I'm rooming with are really interesting. They're all from old wizarding families, so I'm learning a lot. I'll write again soon, I promise._

_Love,_

_Dudley_

_P.S. Could you pick me up some green pajamas? Slytherin's colors are green and silver. Thank you!_

He folded up the parchment and set it aside. Now...the harder letter to write. He stared at the blank piece of paper as if the letter could write itself. He wasn't sure about what he could write to his Mother, especially since he didn't know how much his Mother knew about the wizarding world. She had been Aunt Lily's sister, after all. She must know something. He also didn't want to write too much; she hadn't included her own letter this year. Maybe she was...he shook his head. No matter, she was still his mother. He'd promised to write. But still... This letter was written much slower.

_Dear Mum,_

_Thanks for the birthday card. I always look forward to it. I had a really nice small party for my birthday and then Miranda took Harry and me to the zoo for our joint party. I'm writing to you from my new school. It's really great, Miranda's parents went to it when they were going to school. It's a private school way up north. __Harry's here too, we both got accepted. __I already had my first class and I really enjoyed it. My schedule's really full, they're keeping us busy. I hope you're well, I'll write to you again later._

_Love,_

_Dudley_

_P.S. I want to talk to you about Aunt Lily and Uncle James-_

He quickly scribbled that out. Dudley didn't think his Mum would like being reminded about her sister, even if it was so that Dudley could understand things a little more. He'd ask her in person. Whenever they met in person. He folded that letter up and set it with Miranda's letter. He'd pick up some envelopes from his room later. He glanced at the windows high above him. He couldn't really see the sky from them, but thought that maybe an hour had passed? Maybe more? Lunch should be starting soon. He gathered up his things and tucked the letters away carefully.

He was walking down the marble staircase when the bell to end second period sounded and the Great Hall doors swung open to announce lunch. There was a deep rumbling in the castle as the classrooms emptied and hundreds of students made their way to the Great Hall. Dudley was one of the first in the doors and he was glad to see sandwiches and pies and some vegetables (like carrots and peas) and fruits (like apples and pears). He piled his plate with tuna sandwiches and crisps, filled his goblet with cider and set in for a great lunch.

Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle joined him at the table.

"Hey." Dudley said, taking a bite of his tuna sandwich.

"How was the library?" Draco asked, a bit of a condescending sneer in his voice. "Get your letters written?"

"Yep." Dudley nodded, smiling like he didn't hear anything. _Treat him like Harry, treat him like Harry..._ "Gonna send them off after Herbology. What do you think we'll be tackling first?"

Draco looked a little taken aback, but his features smoothed out quickly. "Father said that we'll be looking into the plants used for potions ingredients first." he drawled, picking up his own sandwich.

Dudley thought for a moment. "Huh, I was hoping we'd learn how to identify magical plants from regular plants first." He took another bite from the sandwich. "At least, that's what the book shows."

"Magical plants are really obvious." Draco said with a roll of his eyes. "Like we'd need to identify them."

Dudley shrugged and kept eating his sandwich. He was really getting annoyed with Draco. It's like he never had anything nice to say. He also seriously doubted that Draco had cracked open any of his books before coming to school. Sounded like he just asked his Father about everything. They passed a quiet lunch, finishing up just before the bell sounded. They all stood and gathered their things as the plates and trays in front of them emptied themselves of food. Dudley stopped Hughes (who was on his way out of the Hall with another group of Fifth Years) and asked him for directions to the Greenhouses.

"Alright, thanks." Dudley nodded, hurrying to catch up to Draco and the gang who were waiting at the doors. "We go this way." he announced and lead them down the stairs, through a passageway, along the lawns and to the greenhouses. "We're supposed to be in Greenhouse One-" he started, but was interuppted by a plump witch waving at them from a doorway to a greenhouse.

"Over here, First Years, over here!"

They made their way over and were quickly ushered into the Greenhouse, grabbed the smocks hanging up along the wall and pulled on their dragonhide gloves. They joined the other Slytherin First Years and the Ravenclaw First Years along the planters and pots. The Ravenclaws seemed to have loosened up some and were talking and laughing with some of the other Slytherin First Years. Soon, the bell rang from the main castle and the plump witch walked up to the front of the greenhouse and waved at them all.

"Welcome, welcome to Greenhouse One, First Years!" She chriped happily. "My name is Professor Sprout and I am your Herbology professor!"

"Really?" Draco whispered out the side of his mouth to Dudley. "Couldn't tell at all."

Dudley ignored him as Professor Sprout went on. "We're going to be starting off with recognizing and properly harvesting some of your basic potions supplies." she beamed at them. "Can anyone tell me what some basic potion ingredients are?"

"Pomegranate juice." A Ravenclaw boy called out.

"Dandelion root!" A Slytherin girl added.

"Lavender!" called another girl.

"Pungous Onion." Dudley said, raising his hand. He couldn't help noticing that Draco was rolling his eyes.

"Hellebore!" shouted a boy in the back.

Professor Sprout nodded her head with each name and waved her hands once more for quiet. "Yes, yes, exactly. One point for each person who answered." she said with a wide smile. "As you can no doubt tell, potions ingredients vary widely from potion to potion. We grow almost every plant that you will ever need in your potions classes here in the greenhouses." She waved a hand at the planters in front of them. "What we have here are seedlings and sprouts from the first year potions ingredients. Pull out your books, Chapter One, and use them to help you to identify five of these seedlings and sprouts. I want a name, a sketch and a description of what potion it is used for."

There was a sudden scramble for books and parchment.

"No pushing, no shoving. There are plenty of seedlings to go around!" Professor Sprout called out over the ruckus. Soon, they were all looking through their books, misidentifying sprouts, trying to draw with ink and in short, it was a messy class. Professor Sprout went around and helped students out; she congratulated Dudley on correctly identifying hellebore from it's sprout and gave him five House points. Dudley grinned and went back to sketching it out. He had a feeling that most plants that were used in potions had hidden magical talents, kinda like him and other...what was it...oh yeah, other Muggle-borns. He knew it didn't really matter, but having a hidden magical talent was something he could identify with.

When the bell rang at the end of the lesson, Professor Sprout gave them homework of studying the sprouts of the basic potion ingredient plants. Next lesson, they would learn how to harvest them correctly. Dudley grinned as he packed up his bag. He was going to like it here.

* * *

Dudley's week passed without much incident. By Thursday, he had earned 10 points for Slytherin. He enjoyed Charms and Transfiguration, Astrology seemed completely useless and Defense was rather tame and a bit of a joke. He despised History of Magic, but made sure he took detailed notes. He'd always hated history when it was just droned on about from the front of a classroom. Dudley made notes to do some research on his own.

Draco had been talking about the Potions class all week and by Thursday night, he wouldn't shut up about it. Blaise eventually socked him with a pillow and that had started a pillow war that ended with them all calling foul on Crabbe and Goyle who hit way too hard. Dudley couldn't wait to go to Potions. All of his classes had been cool so far; he couldn't wait to see what Potions were all about.

Friday dawned bright and clear. As he walked into breakfast, he waved to Harry who was sitting at the Gryffindor table (for once, he had gotten here before Dudley) and Harry gave him a wave back before Ron elbowed him. Harry turned to Ron and they started talking about something. Dudley got a very nasty feeling that they were talking about him. There was a small war within himself to march over there and ask them what they were talking about or going over to the Slytherin table (which was covered with eggs and toast and bacon) and just talking to Harry later. Dudley's stomach won out and he made his way over to the Slytherin table. Crabbe and Goyle moved seats to make room for him and he sat.

"Mornin'." Dudley nodded to them and Draco, whose hair seemed more greasy than ever. "Extra lard this morning?"

Draco gave him a glare while Blaise snorted a laugh into his scrambled eggs. Dudley helped himself to eggs and toast, mentally telling himself to skip the bacon and sausage this morning. His pants were already starting to feel a little tight. He'd have to watch what he ate or become more active. With a screeching noise, the owls flew in to deliver the day's mail. Merlin came swooping in, dropping two letters into his eggs. He then landed on Dudley's shoulder. Dudley gave him a bit of toast and a ruffle of his feathers. Merlin nipped Dudley's ear gently. Dudley pulled the letters out of his eggs and wiped them off. One of them had Miranda's handwriting...the other's hand-written scrawl was unfamiliar. Dudley opened the note, curious.

_Dear Dudley,_

_I know you two get Friday afternoons off, so would you and Harry like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with your owls._

_Hagrid_

Dudley grinned and looked up to see Harry looking at him and waving a letter at him. Hagrid had apparently written to both of them. Dudley nodded and gave him a thumbs up. Harry grinned and they both scribbled back an answer. They each handed their letters off to their owls and grinned across the Great Hall at each other. When the bell rang, the Slytherin and Gryffindor First Years went down the stairs to the dungeons. The potions master sat at his desk, not bothering to look up or pay any attention to the students entering his classroom. Dudley thought it was rather creepy; dark and damp and cold, with jars of things lining the walls and books with heavily stained covers on bookcases.

Once the bell rang to start the class, there fell an eerie silence. "I am Professor Snape." Professor Snape said in a sibilant voice, his dark, dark eyes commanding the respect of the room with just a barely concealed glare. Dudley felt a chill go down his spine. "I shall start with the roll call." And he went down the list, checking each student off as they called their presence to him. And then he came to Harry's name.

"Ah..." Professor Snape sneered as his finger lingered on the parchment. "Harry Potter...our new - _celebrity._"

Dudley saw his cousin's cheeks flush slightly as Draco and Crabbe and Goyle all sniggered behind their hands. Snape didn't point them out but continued down the roll call list. When he was finished, it was set down on his desk and he turned to them all.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began, making them all sit up straight and listen to every syllable, "As there is little foolish wand-waving in this class, most of you will hardly believe that this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..."

Dudley decided right then that Professor Snape was definitely creepy.

"I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

Dudley decided right then that Professor Snape was a bit of an prick.

Silence followed Professor Snape's words. Dudley shot a look to Draco who nodded and grinned at him. Dudley wasn't feeling the reassurance.

"Potter!" Snape barked suddenly, making them all jump. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The entire class looked towards Harry. Harry seemed to sink down a little into his chair. The girl on the train...Hermione?...had raised her hand so fast, Dudley hadn't seen it move.

"I don't know, sir." Harry said. Dudley tried to remember if that had been mentioned in the first two chapters of his potions book. He didn't remember anything about wormwood.

Snape's face twisted into a sneer. "Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."

Dudley decided something else right then. Professor Snape was a bit of a...bully.

"Let's try again, Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

A what now? Dudley's forehead screwed up as he tried to remember what a bezoar was. Hermione's hand stayed up in the air, fingers twitching slightly as she tried to make her hand go higher. Dudley could see Draco, Crabbe and Goyle shaking with silent laughter. He gave them a glare that wasn't seen.

"I don't know, sir." Harry repeated, two spots of color appearing in his cheeks. Dudley knew that look. He was getting ready to be disrespectful.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

Dudley decided right then that Professor Snape wasn't a bit of a bully. He was a bully. He swallowed hard as his stomach twisted nastily.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" (_Was it just Dudley's imagination, but did Professor Snape spit Harry's last name like it left a bad taste in his mouth?_) Hermione stood up, her hand straining to reach the ceiling.

Then Harry got that look on his face. Dudley sent him silent warnings - (_don't do it, don't do it, don't do it) -_ but Harry simply sat up a bit straighter, looked Snape dead in the face and said, "I don't know. I think Hermione does, though, why don't you ask her?"

A few Gryffindors laughed, but were quickly silenced by Snape's tirade. "Sit down." he growled. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite." He paused to glare at the whole classroom. "Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden scurry for parchment and quills. And over the noise, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter."

Dudley felt his stomach twisting even worse. Should he tell someone? This professor picked on Harry and openly seemed to hate him. What should he do? Dudley copied down what he could remember from Snape's tirade. Within a few minutes, Snape had paired them all off and set them to mixing up a simple solution for curing boils. Professor Snape swept about the dungeon like a crow, criticizing the way (it seemed like) everyone prepared and stewed their potion ingredients. Until he came to Malfoy. Dudley kept his head down as Snape starting telling the classroom about how Draco had perfectly stewed his horned slugs.

Suddenly acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. A cauldron had melted and the spilled potion was splashing across the whole dungeon. People yelped as holes were burned in their shoes and several of them leapt onto their stools. Dudley looked to see who had spilled it and saw Neville, the boy from the train, standing there, whimpering as huge red boils sprang up all over his arms, legs and face.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled, clearing away the spilled potion with a wave of his wand. Dudley opened his mouth to defend him, but couldn't speak. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville was trying not to cry (and failing at doing so) as his nose seemed to become one giant boil.

"Take him up to the hospital wing." Snape spat at the boy who had been with Neville (and who had managed to avoid the potion). And then, Snape rounded on Harry.

"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point-"

"He didn't do anything!"

Everyone fell quiet as the shout echoed around the dungeon. Dudley blinked, and as Snape slowly turned to stare at him, realized that he was the one who had shouted that.

"What was that?" Snape asked with a deadly quiet, gliding over to Dudley. Dudley swallowed hard.

"H-He didn't do anything, sir. It wasn't his f-fault." Dudley was shaking, his voice betrayed the shame and fear he felt from speaking up.

"Dursley, wasn't it?" Snape asked, his black eyes merciless. Dudley nodded. "That's five points from Slytherin, Dursley. I will not be disrespected in my classroom by a member of my House."

_But that's not fair!_

"Yes, sir." Dudley muttered, looking down at his own cauldron, bubbling with thick green gunk. He looked up as Professor Snape glided away and saw Harry give him a grateful smile. Dudley gave him a weak smile back. Then he saw all of the Slytherins glaring at him. He swallowed hard again and put his head down. He didn't think he'd like Potions very much, after all.

* * *

Author's Notes: I have nothing to say this time. . Oh, well. Thank you for reading!


	8. Tea and Broomsticks

Wotcher and WOW! Thank you so much for all of the awesome reviews! My little black and gold writer's heart is pleased. But I do have a response for the reviewer who left one anonymously. As a response to "Bronze", I'm not quite sure where you got that conclusion, but thank you for having such a strong opinion of Dumbledore. There is something coming up eventually that will shed light on everything that happened in the first and second chapters and I definitely think it'll be much sooner than 6th Year. But that's all I'm spoiling for now. Thank you again, everyone!

Oh and I own nothing Harry Potter related. Just so you know.

* * *

Dudley, Harry, and Ron all left the castle at five to three, heading down the grounds, across the bridge and towards Hagrid's wood and stone hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There was a garden next to it with pumpkins the size of dogs on the ground (Dudley was quite sure they'd get to be even bigger before Halloween), a crossbow and a pair of galoshes by the door and smoke climbing out of the chimney. When Harry knocked, something big scrabbled about inside and there were several booming barks from the other side of the door.

"_Back_, Fang - _back_."

Then the huge door was yanked open a bit and Hagrid's face appeared in the crack.

"Hey, Hagrid." Dudley said with a grin. "Three at three for tea." And then he grinned like an idiot, snorting with laughter. That was funny. He looked at Harry who gave him an appreciative grin and Ron just rolled his eyes.

"Hang on, you lot." Hagrid said, another booming bark echoing. "_Back_, Fang!" And the door swung open. Dudley caught sight of the enormous black boarhound that Hagrid had by the collar. Dudley ruffled Fang's ears as he walked past and Fang stopped barking almost immediately and got a dopey grin on his face. Dudley grinned back. He'd always loved dogs.

"Seems ter like you." Hagrid chuckled, letting go of Fang's collar. Fang immediately nudged his head against Dudley's hands for more pets and ear scratches. Dudley gladly obliged. Hagrid had them all sit at the large table in the center of the room. There was, of course, only one room. Dudley thought it was very cozy.

"This is Ron." Harry introduced as they sat, Hagrid pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate. Fang set his head on Dudley's knee and started drooling.

"Another Weasley, eh?" Hagrid observed, glancing over at Ron. "I've spent half me life chasing yer twin brothers away from the forest."

Dudley just about broke a tooth on a rock cake, but said that they were great anyway. They fell into a conversation about their first lessons. Dudley told Hagrid how much he was enjoying Transfiguration and Harry told him about Charms and History of Magic. They all complained about Filch and were delighted to hear Hagrid call Filch "that old git."

"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometimes." Hagrid chuckled.

Then Harry started to tell Hagrid about Potions. Dudley felt that nasty twisting of his stomach as Harry told Hagrid about how Professor Snape had picked on him, called him out and tried to take points away for no good reason. Dudley almost spoke up as well, but, in the end, let Harry tell the story.

"Ahh, don't worry about it." Hagrid advised, pouring himself another cup of tea. "Professor Snape hardly likes anyone. Especially the students."

"But-!"

"H-He really did seem to hate him." Dudley mumbled, picking at his rock cake.

"Rubbish!" Hagrid said with a shake of his head. "Why should he?"

There was a small silence where Dudley and Harry picked at their rock cakes and tea. "How's yet brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron in the silence. "I liked him a lot - great with animals."

Dudley was grateful for the subject change and paid special attention while Ron told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons in Romania. "-and last I heard, he was working on-"

"Hagrid!" Harry interrupted, looking at a clipping from a newspaper in his hand, "that Gringotts break-in happened when we went to Diagon Alley! It could've been happening while we were there!"

"There was a Gringotts break-in?" Dudley asked, leaning over to look at the newspaper clipping.

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

_\- Gringotts goblins insist that nothing had been taken. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day -_

"Woah..." Dudley said, looking up at Harry. "I thought Gringotts was supposed to be one of the safest places in the wizarding world!"

"Well, yeah." Ron said, scratching at his head. "'Cept for Hogwarts, right?"

"Yeah!" Harry said, looking at Hagrid. "Didn't you say that, Hagrid?"

Hagrid muttered something, then pushed the plate of rock cakes at them. They spent the rest of their tea discussing the break-in and what could've happened, trying to remember if they had spotted any suspicious characters at Diagon Alley and what the thieves could've been after. Hagrid kept trying to redirect the conversation, but it was very difficult with the three enthusiastic boys. They said goodbye to Hagrid and Fang around dinner time and trooped back up to the castle, the amazing cooking foremost in Dudley's mind. He really was in the mood for roast beef and potatoes. The conversation about the possibilities of the Gringotts vaults and the thieves who had managed to get past all of the security lasted them all the way through dinner.

* * *

The weeks passed by, a blur of classes and meals and letters and conversations. Dudley still wasn't quite sure about Draco Malfoy. He was acting more and more like a spoiled little brother; complaining that the teachers were too hard, the classes boring...and if anyone said anything against him to his face, he'd say, "Just wait until my father hears about this!" Spoiled little boy. He was learning to leave Malfoy alone, and he was hanging out with Blaise a bit more. Potions homework was easier with Blaise; they both told gross jokes about the horned slugs and the colors that the potions could turn. Dudley helped him with Transfiguration, showing him how to study as if it were for a science or maths class.

One afternoon, a notice was posted on the notice-board next to the door in the Common Room. Flying lessons would begin on Thursday afternoon, and they'd be learning with the Gryffindors.

"Finally." Draco said, running a hand over his hair (for the third time). "It's about time they let us on brooms. My father was saying just the other day-"

Dudley tuned him out. More than likely, it was something about how "_Father thinks it's a crime that I'm not on the House Team, but of course, First Years aren't allowed. He's gotten me Quidditch coaches for years, I could make the House team this year if I wanted to, it's the stupid school rules blah blah blee bloo blah."_

Draco just wouldn't stop talking about Quidditch and how good he was at it and how criminal it was that he couldn't bring his broomstick from home and it took all of Dudley's patience not to quote what 'criminal' actually meant at him. Draco was even worse that night at dinner, telling everyone who'd listen about his adventures on a broomstick that almost always ended with him narrowly avoiding Muggle helicopters and flying over Muggle villages at night (in direct violation of the Secrecy laws). Dudley just rolled his eyes at the third of these stories and ate his mashed potatoes and roast beef with mixed vegetables.

Thursday brought bright sun and it seemed that almost everyone was talking about Quidditch. Almost all the First Years were telling tales over breakfast and it seemed that everyone had a team to cheer for and brag about. When the mail came, Malfoy's eagle owl brought him yet another package from home. He opened it at the table, gloating over the sweets and the cakes. Dudley rolled his eyes again, Blaise nodded. They were getting sick of Malfoy's gloating and eating the sweets and cakes in the dormitory without sharing. Blaise had been contemplating asking his mum for a rare Turkish sweet just to eat it in front of Malfoy.

They were finishing up, discussing what brooms might be provided, when Dudley noticed Malfoy heading towards the Gryffindor table. "There he goes again." Dudley sighed, shaking his head. Blaise turned to look and groaned.

"Sheesh, what's with him always looking for trouble with Potter?" Blaise asked with a roll of his eyes. "I swear..."

"And I thought sibling rivalry was bad." Dudley said with a small smirk, causing Blaise to grin slightly.

"I know, right? And there goes McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall swept from the staff table, heading directly for Malfoy and the small scene he was causing at the Gryffindor table.

"-got my Remembrall, Professor-"

Draco muttered something and slumped away with Crabbe and Goyle at his heels. McGonagall gave a curt nod to the Gryffindors and swept back to the staff table.

"I think she's got eyes in the back of her hat." Blaise muttered, shoving the last of his scrambled eggs into his mouth.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Dudley agreed, draining his orange juice. "Want to finish off that Potions essay before Charms?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." Blaise agreed. So they went off to the library. Thursday passed much like the other Thursdays that had come and gone. Charms was terrific, lunch was uneventful and Herbology was interesting. When the bell to end the period rang, the Slytherin First Years bid the Ravenclaw First Years goodbye and hurried across the lawns and grounds to the flat lawn near the Quidditch Stadium. There were already about twenty broomsticks laid out in neat rows, just waiting for them. Draco and Crabbe and Goyle all dropped their stuff on the lawn and walked over to the broomsticks to look at them.

"What cheap brooms!" Draco complained loudly, looking disdainful. "God, this place is going to the dogs."

Dudley and Blaise just rolled their eyes at each other and set their school bags down as well.

"Been looking forward to this for a while." Blaise said with a smile. "I miss flying about at home."

Dudley glanced at the admittedly old brooms. "What's it like?" he asked. When Blaise gave him a questioning look, Dudley shrugged. "I've never actually flown before." he admitted.

"It's great." Blaise said. "Especially if you've got other people to fly with. Quidditch is just the beginning, of course. You can use brooms to travel too."

"Cool." Dudley said with a grin. "Never been keen on heights, but who knows? Maybe it'll be like one of those thrill rides at amusement parks."

Just then, the Gryffindor First Years joined them, followed closely by Madame Hooch. Dudley thought that she looked like a hawk or another bird of prey. She had wild white hair and brilliant yellow eyes.

"Well, what're you all waiting for?" she barked out as she strode up. "Everyone stand by a broomstick! Come on, hurry up!"

They all scurried and found a broomstick. Dudley couldn't help but notice that the Gryffindors lined up on one side and the Slytherins on the other. At least he was across from Harry. Harry grinned at him and winked. Dudley grinned back.

"Everyone, stick your right hand over your broom," Madame Hooch called out to them, stalking the row like a bird of prey. "and say 'Up!'"

"UP!" Everyone shouted.

Dudley wasn't surprised to see that his broom rose an inch and then fell back to Earth. He glanced up and Harry's broom had jumped up into his hand at once. Not even Draco had gotten it on the first command. They all shouted "UP!" until all the brooms had obeyed their riders. Madame Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms and showed them how to grip it tightly, so they wouldn't slide off the end. She walked up and down, correcting grips. Blaise and Dudley shared a look when she told Malfoy that he had been doing it wrong for years. Draco looked pale; Dudley was quite sure he was thinking something like "_Wait until my father hears about this!_"

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," Madame Hooch said, lifting said whistle up so they could all see it. "Hover for a moment, then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle - three - two -"

Dudley was ready but not as ready as Neville. Neville kicked off far too hard before the whistle had even touched Madame Hooch's lips and he rose like a bottle rocket in the sky. Then the broom took off. Everyone gasped as Neville's broom started performing loops and spins, steep climbs and severe dives, Neville just barely managing to keep ahold of it. He dive-bombed the whole class and everyone scattered. When the broom began to climb steeply again, Neville lost his grip.

**THUD** \- _CRACK_! And Neville lay face-down on the ground in a whimpering heap. Madame Hooch ran to him, shouting for other students to get out of her way.

Dudley managed to catch a glimpse of Neville's broom floating away, drifting lazily towards the Forbidden Forest.

"Oh oh oh...a broken wrist." Madame Hooch muttered, examining Neville's condition. "It's alright, come on, up you get." She helped Neville to his feet and supported him as they started off towards the castle. "Everyone is to remain on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the Hospital Wing!" she barked over her shoulder. "If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say 'Quidditch'."

The class watched them go. Once they were out of earshot, disappearing behind a hill, Malfoy burst into unbridled laughter. "Did you see his face?! The great lump!"

Dudley was shocked to hear other Slytherins joining in the laughter. He glared at Blaise who was laughing so hard that he had to grip his sides. What was with them?!

"Shut up, Malfoy!" snapped a Gryffindor girl, glaring at the lot of them.

"Oooh, standing up for Longbottom?" sneered one of the Slytherin girls, Dudley was sure her name was Pansy. "Never thought _you'd _like fat little crybabies, Parvarti!"

Malfoy suddenly darted forward and grabbed something from the grass. "Look! It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

Dudley knew that look on his cousin's face. That squinty-eyed anger. He had perfected it...back when they were still living with his Dad and Mum...

"Give it here, Malfoy."

Everything fell silent. Everyone watched the confrontation.

Malfoy grinned. Dudley hadn't seen that nasty smile on Malfoy's face before.

"No. I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find." And with that, Malfoy mounted his broom and took off from the ground. He hadn't been lying he could fly well. "How about on the roof?!" Malfoy pulled up to a hover about ten, twelve feet above their heads and smirked down at them. He began tossing the Remembrall from hand to hand, balancing on his broom. "What's the matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"

"Harry, no!" cried out Hermione. Dudley turned to see Harry mounting his own broom. "You heard what Madame Hooch said! Besides, you don't even know how to fly!"

"That won't stop him." Dudley said under his breath, watching as Harry took off and flew up to meet Malfoy in the air. Dudley blinked. Was it just him or was Harry controlling that broom very well? He almost looked like he had been born to fly. Dudley gave a whoop and slapped a high-five with Ron who cheered. Several of the girls were gasping and a few of the Slytherins looked taken aback.

_Not used to people standing up to you, are you?_ Dudley thought to himself. _Well, that's going to change. Especially if I have anything to say about it. Jerks._

"Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off that broom!" Harry shouted.

"Is that so?" Malfoy sneered. He wasn't expecting Harry to flatten himself on the handle and shoot towards him like a javelin. Dudley yelled as Malfoy barely managed to roll out of the way in time. Harry pulled up, spun about and was facing Malfoy once more before Malfoy finished his roll. With a worried look on his face, Malfoy gripped the Remembrall. "Have it your way then!" And he threw the Remembrall as fast and as hard as he could before streaking back down to the ground.

It almost seemed to happen in slow motion for Dudley. The Remembrall lifted in a wide arc, then started to fall towards the ground. Harry dove after it in a steep dive. He was gathering speed - Dudley held his breath - the ball was falling - Harry reached out his hand - and pulled up just short of the lawn, the Remembrall clutched in his hand. Dudley thought he was in the middle of an explosion. Everyone, everyone except Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle, burst into cheers and whoops. Dudley found himself to be the loudest. They swarmed across the lawn and enveloped a still stunned Harry. Dudley and Ron clapped Harry on the back and cheered.

"You're an idiot." Dudley grinned, ruffling Harry's messy hair. "Good catch."

"HARRY POTTER!"

Everyone fell silent. They knew that stern voice. They all turned and Professor McGonagall was running across the lawn towards the class. Dudley saw the look on his cousin's face fall quicker than the Remembrall did. When Professor McGonagall reached them, every single student there was looking shame-faced and even the girls were blushing.

"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts-" Professor McGonagall spoke between sharp intakes of breath, her glasses flashing furiously. "- how _dare_ you - might have broken your neck-"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"

"Be quiet, Miss Patil-"

"But Malfoy-"

"That's _enough_, Mr. Weasly-"

"He only-"

"Mr. Dursley! That will do!" And when everyone had fallen silent, Professor McGonagall turned to a shamefaced Harry. "Potter, follow me. Now."

Dudley watched, feeling helpless, as Professor McGonagall and Harry marched back up to the castle. The next time he'd see his cousin, he'd be on the first train home.

* * *

"You're _joking_."

Dudley and Ron stared at Harry as if he'd grown another head. Dudley just couldn't believe it. He had even forgotten the roast chicken on his plate to stare at his cousin.

"You're not expelled?" Dudley breathed. "But Madame Hooch-"

"_Seeker?_" Ron demanded incredulously. "But First Years never make the House Teams! You must be the youngest Quidditch player in-"

"In a century." Harry nodded, piling his plate with steak and kidney pudding, grinning at them. "According to McGonagall."

Dudley and Ron just sat there and gaped at Harry while he stuffed his face with food. Dudley had been so sure that he had been expelled...he had even written a letter to Miranda. Luckily, he hadn't sent it yet.

"I almost told Miranda that you were expelled!" Dudley yelled, reaching across the table and smacking Harry upside the head. "Couldn't you have bothered to find me?!"

"Sorry!" Harry yelped, picking up his dropped fork. "By the time Wood was done talking to me, it was almost time for dinner anyways."

"When do you start?" Ron asked excitedly. "Seeker!"

"Next week, but try not to tell anyone. Wood wants to keep it a secret."

"You know something like this isn't going to happen every time you break the rules, right?" Dudley muttered, pouring himself a new glass of pumpkin juice. "You won't get lucky all the time."

"It worked out great this time!" Ron said with a giant grin.

Suddenly, Fred and George appeared behind Harry, flanking him on either side.

"Well done," said George(?) in a low voice, grinning. "Wood's just told us. We're on the team too - Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year." said Fred(?). "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was practically skipping when he told us."

Dudley glowered at his roast chicken and peas. He couldn't help this sickening feeling in his gut. Once again...Harry comes out on top. Of course, he was jealous. He already felt like he didn't belong here in the Wizarding World and now Harry gets to be a Seeker on a House Team for Quidditch in his First Year? Ever since that letter came in, it's Harry this and Harry that. Dudley stabbed at his chicken moodily. Maybe he'd go back to having dinner at the Slytherin table. He didn't want to hear about how whenever Harry broke the rules he got a reward. That wasn't how the real world worked. At least, it shouldn't.

"Having a last meal, Potter?"

Dudley looked up sharply. Malfoy had come over, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle as usual. Malfoy had a look of triumph on his face that Dudley didn't think belonged there.

"When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

Dudley stood up, to say something, to shout at Malfoy, to tell him that Miranda wasn't a Muggle, that he wasn't a Muggle, that there was nothing wrong with Muggles anyway, what's with that superior attitude-

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and got your little friends with you." Harry said coolly, taking another bite of pie. Malfoy's face flushed slightly.

"I'll take you on anytime on my own," Malfoy snarled. "Tonight, if you'd like. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact." He smirked at the looks on their faces. "What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has!" said Ron, waving a fork at Malfoy. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Then Malfoy said something that shocked them all. "Dursley."

Dudley looked at him incredulously. "What?"

"You're my second, Dursley." Malfoy repeated, a smirk playing on his face. "Got a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I do!" Dudley said angrily. "I'm not going along with this. What are you, nuts?!" He pushed his plate away and stood up. "I'm not getting involved with this." He grabbed his bag and left the Great Hall. He hadn't eaten much, but he wasn't hungry anyway. He didn't think he'd be hungry for a while. Not with the nasty twisting and tightening of his guts and stomach. He was so angry that when he left the Great Hall, he punched a suit of armor.

"Oy!" the suit of armor complained, shaking in it's armor slightly. "Uncalled for!"

"Sorry." Dudley muttered, rubbing his knuckles. "Didn't want to punch a wall."

He then went up to the second floor and waited. It took a while, but he waited patiently. When Harry and Ron stepped off of the staircase, he grabbed Harry by his arm.

"Harry, look, this is STUPID." Dudley said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice. "You aren't seriously doing this, are you?"

"So what if I am?" Harry said, pulling his arm out of Dudley's grip. "Not that it's any of your business anyway."

"Are you kidding?" Dudley almost yelled, staring at his cousin. "Listen, Harry, if you do this...if you meet Malfoy for some stupid wizard's duel..." He paused, then let loose his only weapon for helping to keep his cousin out of trouble. "I'm telling Miranda."

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm really sorry about the delay in posting. I had a very bad week. The update will be on time this week! Thank you to everyone for your patience. I hate it when life gets in the way of my hobbies. XD


	9. The Shadow Stalker

Wotcher, everyone! This is going to be where things get interesting. This is what I would consider the point where Dudley really starts to make a story for himself. So, naturally, this is where things get more difficult. I apologize for the delay, but I think this chapter is worth it. Thank you to everyone for supporting me and this story. I hope you enjoy the latest installment!

* * *

When Dudley got back to the Common Room that night, he spotted Blaise talking with Hughes and lounging by one of the many bookcases. Dudley squared his shoulders and marched over.

"Blaise, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." Blaise nodded, not getting up. Dudley looked at Michael who nodded with a small grin and got up.

"I've got some extra homework I've got to get done." Michael said to Blaise. "See you two around." He then walked off, leaving the large plush green armchair available for Dudley. Dudley sat down, dumping his back on the floor. Dudley took a deep breath.

"Look, Blaise, why were you laughing at Neville earlier?"

Blaise blinked. Then started laughing again. Dudley felt his temper rise.

"Seriously, it's not funny! Neville got seriously hurt!"

"Which is why it's funny!" Blaise laughed, clutching at his sides. "Didn't you see his face?!"

"He told us at the Gryffindor table that he'd never been on a broom before." Dudley fired back. "Bloody hell, I've never been on a broom before! Would you be laughing this much if it were me?"

Blaise stopped laughing. "Yea, probably. But only cause we've been wondering lately if you're even a Slytherin at all."

Dudley felt his temper starting to twist his stomach. "What?"

Blaise leaned on his hand...just like Dudley had seen Draco do on occasion... "Well, the rest of us in the dorm room were talking and we've agreed, you're spending way too much time over at House Tables that aren't yours. Don't you have any sense of pride? Or would you have rather been a _Gryffindor-_" he sneered, "_-_like your dear cousin?"

Dudley took a deep breath, held it in, and counted to ten, just like Miranda had taught him. He wasn't going to lash out in anger. He wasn't going to lash out in anger...

"I didn't know that spending time with family was against school rules." Dudley said finally, letting out his breath. "Is it a new rule? Or is it something the lot of you made up? Because I never heard of a rule where you had to spend all of your time with your House." He reached down and grabbed his bag, making to stand up. "Besides, I thought you actually had a brain."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Blaise barked, shoving Dudley back down into the seat. Dudley looked back across at him and gave him a smile.

"Oh, just that I thought you'd be smart enough to think for yourself, not follow the herd like a sheep." Dudley then got up and swung his bag over his shoulder. "See you later." Then he marched across the Common Room and down the passageway to the dorms, feeling both proud and ashamed. It made for an interesting twist of his gut and conscience and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not. He marched into his dorm room and set his bag down on his bed. There was no-one else here yet. Good. Dudley sat down on his bed and gazed at the window. If he concentrated, he could make out when something swam past, the currents just so slightly disturbed. Unless it was the Giant Squid. Or other huge things in the lake. He was pretty sure there were sharks there too. (Although he was still pretty sure that sharks were salt-water, he'd once read that some sharks that could go fresh-water but that was a whole different thing.)

He sat there, watching the currents for a long time. When it was time for bed, he changed into his now green pajamas and pulled the hangings closed. He heard the other First Year boys making their way in, loud at first, then quieter when they noticed that his hangings were closed.

"So. Did you talk to him?" Draco's voice said quietly.

"Who cares?" answered Blaise's voice. There was a small silence.

"What?" Draco's voice demanded.

"You heard me." Blaise shot back. "You can't order me around like I'm one of them."

"But- When my Father-!"

"Shove it, Draco." Blaise's voice said scathingly. "You're not the King of the Dorm."

Then it all fell silent. There were noises as the rest of the boys got into bed and blew out the candles and turned off the lights. Dudley couldn't help grinning in the dark.

He couldn't help noticing that Draco never left the dormitory that night.

* * *

Weeks passed and Dudley still couldn't believe that it had only been two months since he'd first stepped foot into Hogwarts. The classes were getting harder and more interesting, he was finding passages and rooms that he hadn't known about before and he and Blaise were becoming rather good friends. Ever since that night, he and Blaise had been either been ignoring Draco's demands (who did he think they were, mindless like Crabbe and Goyle?) or teasing him (Blaise had managed to get ahold of that rare Turkish sweet after all and had shared it with Dudley who thought there were at least five flavors in one bite). Harry and Ron had been ignoring Dudley, but Dudley didn't mind as much, now that he was friends with Blaise. Harry and Ron were seen to be talking low and fast over the breakfast table and Harry was spending most evenings on the Quidditch pitch. Miranda had agreed to letting Harry have a broomstick under special conditions and a signed wavier form. Miranda felt bad and had written to Dudley, telling him that she was going to make it up to him somehow. Dudley had written back, telling her that he didn't like flying much anyway and she didn't have to. She promised to do something special anyway.

Dudley and Blaise spent their afternoons -after homework was done, of course - playing either Wizard's Chess or Gobstones in the courtyard with a few other First Years, Victor (a small Ravenclaw boy with dark hair and blue eyes), Ernest (a Hufflepuff with red hair and brown eyes and freckles) and Andrea (a Ravenclaw girl with long blonde hair and brown eyes). They were even talking of starting a gaming club, Andrea was Muggle-born and had a bunch of board games and card games from home. They even convinced Blaise that games didn't have to be magic to be enjoyable. It helped that they could discuss homework and they met up to study once a week. Dudley was feeling more and more at home at Hogwarts.

Halloween morning brought with it the enchanting smell of cinnamon and pumpkins baking. The smell followed them everywhere in the castle, promising great things for the Halloween Feast. Dudley even saw Hagrid starting to carve pumpkins in the Great Hall after breakfast. That afternoon, Professor Sprout had them tending to new pumpkin sprouts while reciting why pumpkins were nutritional powerhouses, useful in cooking and potions and spells. Victor and Blaise and Dudley all worked on the same vine, discussing what they thought would be served at the Halloween Feast that night.

As they made their way to dinner that night, Dudley noticed that Harry and Ron were looking guilty about something. But before he could go over and ask what the trouble was, the Great Hall doors opened up and the thought was driven from his head. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while thousands more swooped about the candles. Floating Jack-o-Lanterns (carved lovingly by Hagrid) spun slowly in the air. The wall braziers were dimmed and the tables were lit with the creepy lighting from the Jack-o-Lanterns and the full moon overhead. As soon as the whole school was seated, the Halloween Feast magically appeared on the tables. There were pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, roasted chickens and turkeys, pumpkin soups, candied popcorn balls, magnificent candy displays, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted vegetables, hot apple cider, cold pumpkin juice, potato soup in bread, beef stew with dumplings, and cinnamon cookies.

Dudley had never seen so many pumpkin dishes in one place in his life. So, naturally, he wanted to try them all.

He had barely dug into the roasted chicken and pumpkin soup when the huge doors to the Great Hall burst open again and everyone turned to see Professor Quirrell, as though being chased by a nightmare, dashing up the aisle, screaming, "Trooooooll in the DUNGEON - TROOOOOLL in the dungeon!" He stopped about halfway up the aisle, gave a ghost of a smile and whimpered "Thought you ought to know-" before falling over in a dead faint.

Dudley counted out about three heartbeats before the screaming broke out. It seemed everyone was screaming and standing and starting to run for the exit.

"SILENCE!" came the echoing thunder that was the shout of Professor Dumbledore. Everyone stopped. Everyone looked to the Staff Table. Professor Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at them from behind his half-moon spectacles. Dudley thought he was smiling at them. "Everyone will, please, not panic." It was amazing how his voice carried, even though he wasn't talking very loudly at all now. "Prefects will lead their Houses back to their Dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons."

And just like that, order was restored. Dudley thought that Miranda couldn't have done better. Everyone followed their Prefects in single file lines and Hughes managed to convince the Bloody Baron to go ahead of the Slytherins to the dungeons' passageway to be sure that it was safe for them all.

"What's a troll?" Dudley asked Blaise in a low whisper as they made their way down the stairs.

"Guess you didn't get many of them in the city, huh?" Blaise whispered back. Dudley shook his head. "There are a lot of different ones, but the ones around here are Mountain Trolls. They're really big, brutish things. I don't know how it got in, trolls are supposed to be really stupid."

"Are trolls like giants?"

"What? No. Completely different." Blaise scoffed as they walked down the passage. "Besides, there aren't giants anywhere around here anymore. The Ministry wiped them out."

"What do trolls look like?" Dudley wondered, craning his neck to look behind him, as if he'd catch a glimpse of it.

"Humanoid, I think." Blaise shrugged. "They don't like wizards or other humans. I don't know the specifics, I might ask Professor Bins later. If I can stay awake during the explanation." he laughed. Dudley laughed too.

"Maybe we can do some library research later?"

"Maybe." Blaise nodded. "Or maybe Victor would know. I'll ask him tomorrow."

"Vipera!" Hughes told the wall and they entered the Common Room. They sort of milled about, unsure what to do.

"What should we do?" asked a Fourth Year girl. "Wait for Professor Snape?"

"Do we just go to bed or something?" asked another, looking very disappointed. "I'm so hungry."

"Hey!" Hughes yelled, waving his arms for attention. "Why let this ruin the Halloween Spirit, huh? Who's up for scary stories?!"

Everyone from the Fourth Year down cheered, while the Fifth through Seventh Years all rolled their eyes but paid attention anyway. Hughes waved his wand and the lights above them went out. Now the only light in the Common Room was coming from the fireplace and the Black Lake just outside the windows. "Find a seat, everyone!" Hughes called out. There was a scramble for seats and for the dorms where they grabbed pillows and blankets and came back to the Common Room. Eventually, everyone was seated (at least somewhat comfortably) and Hughes was standing in front of the fireplace. "So who wants to hear the legend of the Forbidden Forest?"

Dudley and Blaise looked at each other with giant grins. They were seated on pillows near one of the windows, seated next to a gaggle of fourth year girls.

"If you ask anyone, they'll say that the Forbidden Forest is only called that to keep students and Muggles out of the woods. But we all know that there's something in those woods, right? It's not werewolves or even Acromantulas...no, what you've really got to be afraid of out there in the woods...is the Shadow Stalker!"

Everyone gasped. Dudley shuddered. Hughes was a good story-teller.

"The Shadow Stalker is a mystery to even wizards," Hughes went on, "but stories and legends of him go back to even before the founding of Hogwarts over a thousand years ago. They say he can stalk even during the day, for the Forest's shadows are long and deep. He can travel from shadow to shadow..." Hughes began to stalk between the students, creeping along like the Shadow Stalker would. "-following your every move in the Forest. But, if you can find the light, you'll be safe during the day. But at night...his powers are fully charged."

The Fourth Year girls giggled nervously.

"For at night, in the pitch black of the Forest, he has free reign." Hughes continued, creeping amongst the students. "You'll hear a crackle of leaves, a slight brush of cloth against the loam...then...he'll...GET YOU!" he shouted, making a sudden movement towards some girls who screamed then giggled nervously. "But that's not all he does." Hughes said in the dark, moving back towards the fireplace. "For if he gets you, you'll still be alright. Scared, you'll wake up at the edge of the Forest at dawn. But if you run...if you hide...he sees that as a game."

Dudley and Blaise looked at each other and gave nervous grins.

"And if he sees it as a game...he'll follow you. Not only through the Forest. Oh no...he'll hitchhike on your shadow and follow you. Over hill. Over dale. Through cities and towns. You can't even magic him away, because you can't magic away your own shadow. He'll stalk and he'll stalk and he'll stalk..." Hughes voice slowly dropped lower and lower... "Until you...DIE!"

Several girls in the room screamed at his shout, Dudley almost screamed himself. He was glad he didn't, though. Blaise hadn't yet.

"And then, he'll come back to the Forest. To find a new person to stalk...way out there...in the Forbidden Forest."

Hughes then bowed and everyone clapped. "Who's next?!" Hughes called out and several of the older Slytherins raised their hands. The scary stories went on for what seemed like hours. Food appeared on a couple of the tables close to the entrance while their backs were turned and all the Slytherins spent a great night eating popcorn balls and pumpkin pie while listening to some of the best ghost and spooky stories that Dudley had ever heard. He doubted that Harry was having such a good time.

It was around ten o'clock when the Common Room wall slid aside and Professor Snape entered the Common Room. Everyone fell silent, even the ghost story teller and they all looked up at the Potions Master.

"I do hope you all have had a...pleasant evening." Professor Snape said silkily. "The troll has been captured and the danger is past." He waved his wand and the lights overhead burst into life again. Several people groaned at the sudden brightness. "Now, bed." Everyone nodded and started gathering up their pillows and blankets. Dudley and Blaise sighed and gathered up their own pillows and made their way to their dormitories. Professor Snape didn't move.

* * *

The day after Halloween turned out to be quite a spectacle. Everywhere that Dudley went he heard the rumors.

"-defeated the troll-"

"-knocked it out with it's club-"

"-girls bathroom!-"

"-and Harry Potter!-"

"Harry Potter saved-"

"Harry Potter and some other First Year-"

"-how cool-"

"-Harry Potter did it!"

Dudley was gloomy by the time he entered the Charms classroom. Harry broke the rules again. But this time was different. This time...he did the right thing. He saved a girl's life and stopped a fully grown Mountain Troll with help from Ron. Dudley couldn't help but feel sort of left out. Like...Harry was already doing all these great things. And here he was, just trying to get through Charms.

"Hey, Dudley!" came a voice, followed by a sharp poke in the ribs.

"Ouch!" Dudley growled, looking furiously to his right. Ernest was looking at him with concern.

"You alright, Big D?" Ernest asked, setting his wand down on the desk. "You're not paying attention to anything."

Dudley nodded, gathering his own wand out of his bag. "Yeah. Just distracted." He looked up but Professor Flitwick was already walking around, showing people the simple flick and swish wand movement they had all been practicing. "Wait, what're we doing?"

"Levitation." Ernest said, gesturing to the feathers at the front of their desks.

Dudley groaned. Levitation! And he'd missed the demonstration! He'd been looking forward to this ever since he'd found out he was a wizard and he'd missed it! And all because he couldn't stop thinking about his stupid cousin breaking the stupid rules! He quickly dived for his Charms book and heard Draco sniggering behind him. That's all he needed. He quickly flipped through the book and found the pages on levitation. The spell was _Wingardium Leviosa_ accompanied by the swish-and-flick motion.

"Okay, I think I've got it." Dudley said, looking at the diagrams quickly.

"Everything okay over here, boys?" squeaked the professor as he stopped by their table. "I don't hear any incantations!"

"Sorry, Professor." Dudley mumbled, quickly closing his book. "I was just-"

"Making sure he got the pronunciation right." Ernest chimed in. "You did say it was very important."

"Very true, boys, very true!" Professor Flitwick nodded. Dudley almost ignored the way Draco groaned dramatically behind him. "Alright then, boys, show me!"

Ernest cleared his throat, performed the swish and flick while reciting, "Wingardrium levoisa!" His feather didn't move.

"Not yet, Mr. Gill, not yet!" Flitwick squeaked. "Your turn, Mr. Dursley!"

Dudley swallowed hard and quickly performed the motion while reciting, "_Wingardium leviosa!_" And to his great astonishment, the feather rose off of the table like a shot. Dudley stared open mouthed as the feather went up like a rocket and hit the ceiling, shredding itself into pieces along the way.

"Wow!" Ernest said with a laugh. "Way to go!"

"A little too much power, Mr. Dursley." Professor Flitwich observed. "Try slowing down your wrist movement, eh?"

"Will try to, Professor." Dudley said with a small blush. Ernest gave him a nudge and a grin while Professor Flitwick moved on to Draco (who wasn't able to get his feather to even lift an inch off of the desk). Dudley grinned. Miranda was going to be proud of him.]

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm sorry that this chapter got cut off so quickly, but Quidditch is important enough to warrant its own chapter. Thank you for your patience! Doing this chapter, I was reminded about Halloween and how awesome Halloween is. I can't wait for Halloween! Which reminds me, I need to start planning the annual Halloween block party. ;3 Huzzah for Halloween!


	10. First Quidditch Match of the Season

Wotcher, everyone, and good day/evening/night/whatever! THANK YOU to everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story last week. A special shout-out to Dragonsrule18! First reviewer! ;3 Thanks to a tip by Nalia-R, I'm considering a rewrite to include a character that I had completely forgotten about. Please be patient, I still haven't decided if I'm going to include this character or not. If I do, I will be attempting to write this character in as well as include the character from now on. I hope that I can do this. In any case, thank you to everyone for reading and I hope that you enjoy Hogwarts' first Quidditch match of the season!

I own nothing from the Potterverse and never will. Thank you!

* * *

Dudley awoke on Saturday morning to a buzz of excitement through the entire Slytherin dungeon. Today was the first big Quidditch match of the season, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor! The match had been hyped all week with posters on the message board and flyers on the doors in the mornings. This morning's flyer was of a large snake eating a lion with the message "**Quidditch Day! ****Go, Snakes, Go!"** printed in silver writing. Michael had told them all last night that they didn't even have to wear their robes to the match, they could wear what they'd like. Dudley had missed his jeans, they were the first things he grabbed for the match. He finished off his outfit with a green turtleneck sweater and a Slytherin scarf, and his black hat. It had been getting colder and colder. Today was the first day that Dudley broke out his cold weather accessories.

All of the boys in the dorm were talking animatedly about Quidditch and jesting about how the Slytherin Quidditch team would wipe the field with the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Everyone was excited for the first match of the season. On their way out, Dudley overheard a Fourth and Fifth year making bets about who would score the first goal and who would catch the Snitch.

"It's typical." Malfoy sneered, marching out of the Common Room. "Everyone makes bets like that." He smirked and looked over at Dudley. "Hey, Dursley. My Father and I have a bit of a bet going ourselves. I've bet five Gallons that Potter won't last five minutes. Father doesn't think he'll last two." Draco and Crabbe and Goyle started laughing.

"Eh, I don't think he'll last five minutes either." Dudley said casually. Everyone looked at him, Blaise with a bit of shock. "Cause he'll catch the Snitch in four."

"So, you're rooting against your own House?" Draco sneered, glaring at Dudley. "Some Slytherin you are."

"Of course not!" Dudley snapped as they walked up the stairs. "I just-"

"You're hoping our team will lose!" Draco said, turning about on the stairs. Crabbe and Goyle flanked him, so that the way upstairs was blocked. Dudley and Blaise were effectively trapped. "Have some dignity and pride! Cheering on a Gryffindor...how low can you sink?"

"Can't go any lower than you, Malfoy, that's for sure." Blaise said coolly. "Get out of our way. I'm hungry."

Malfoy didn't move. Crabbe and Goyle started to crack their knuckles, balling their hands into fists. Dudley's heart raced. He was pretty sure that he could take either Crabbe or Goyle in a fight, but only one of them. Should he throw the first punch or should he wait to get punched? It was a long way down the stairs in case he fell backwards. Maybe he should throw a punch first, it might-

"What is going on here?" came a very familiar voice from behind Malfoy. They all looked up the stairs to see Professor Snape standing there, arms folded, looking down his hooked nose at them.

"Nothing, Professor." said Malfoy silkily, smiling up at him. "We were just discussing the match." Crabbe and Goyle grunted in agreement.

"Then hurry along to the Great Hall." Professor Snape ordered. "You wouldn't want to miss breakfast..."

Malfoy nodded. "Yes, sir." As Snape swept up the stairs in front of them, Malfoy turned back to Dudley and Blaise and hissed under his breath, "We aren't done, Dursley."

"Shove off, Malfoy." Blaise snapped, grabbing Dudley's arm and pushing them through the blockade. Dudley was basically dragged along the stairs until they reached the Great Hall. Blaise pushed him into the Hall and then glared at him. "You know, you might want to think about shutting up in front of Malfoy occasionally."

Dudley blinked at him. Blaise groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Look, I get that you and Potter are family and stuff. But shut up about it around Malfoy, will you? He's looking for a reason to sic Crabbe and Goyle on you." Blaise said quickly and quietly. "Just...keep out of Malfoy's way, okay?"

"I don't like bullies." Dudley said, eyes narrowing.

"Just...Merlin beard, Dudley, just try to get along, alright? I'm sick of distracting him."

Dudley blinked. Then he sighed. "Sorry, Blaise. I don't like bullies or being pushed around."

"Then just keep your head down for now." Blaise said, starting to walk towards the Slytherin table. "Just...alright?"

Dudley shrugged. "Yeah...okay." he muttered, turning towards the Gryffindor table. "I'm gonna-"

"Better not." Blaise advised, grabbing his arm and steering him towards the Slytherin table. "Quidditch makes people do stupid things."

Dudley sighed and let himself be steered towards the Slytherin table. The Hall was filled with the smell of sizzling sausages and fresh toast. Dudley helped himself to apple and cinnamon oatmeal, glancing across the Hall towards the Gryffindor table where he could see everyone was clad in scarlet and gold. He thought he could see his cousin surrounded by the Gryffindor team. But maybe that was just his imagination. He picked at his oatmeal.

"I haven't seen a Quidditch match since this summer." Blaise said, helping himself to sausages and bacon. "Yeah, it was really a practice match, but it was so cool. It took three days!"

"One match lasted three days?" Dudley wondered, still picking at his oatmeal. "How'd that work?"

"Well, the Irish Seeker couldn't catch the Snitch for three days." Blaise said as though it were obvious. "How else?"

"That seems kinda stupid." Dudley said, stirring at his oatmeal. Maybe stirring it would make it more appealing.

"I guess there are those who think that the Quidditch rules are barbaric and stuff, but why mess with something if it works?" Blaise argued good-naturedly, munching on a piece of toast. "The rules work."

Dudley shrugged. He forced himself to eat the rest of his oatmeal, nodding and making agreeing noises as Blaise continued to talk about the Quidditch rules and the matches he'd seen over the summer. Soon, the rest of the student body was rising and starting to make their way out to the Quidditch Pitch. Dudley and Blaise joined the throng and walked across the winter-nipped grounds to the Pitch. Dudley was impressed with it, much larger than some of the sports arenas he'd been in. The talking was getting louder and louder. They passed through the large archway. The Slytherins went to the left and the Gryffindors were going to the right. They followed the crowd and walked up the wooden stairs to the bleachers in the stadium. Dudley looked at the field, at the hoops and at the rest of the crowd. The Gryffindors were holding up signs that said "POTTER FOR PRESIDENT" and "GO POTTER GO!". Dudley rolled his eyes and looked through the crowd to see if - there!

Victor, Angela, and Ernest were waving at them from the back row. Blaise and Dudley fought their way up, grinning and waving.

"Hey guys!" Angela waved energetically, holding up her own pair of binnoculars. "Mum and Dad sent them just for the match! Aren't they great?!"

"Cool!" Dudley grinned as they joined them. Ernest was waving a small Slytherin striped flag and Victor was holding a sign that said "SNAKES FOR THE WIN!"

"I made it myself!" Angela beamed, pointing at the sign. "God, I love Quidditch! I've been researching and watching almost every practice. It's so much better than football! I can't wait until next year when I can try out for my House team!"

"Then maybe they'll have a chance of winning." Blaise teased, sitting down next to Victor. He ducked from Angela's playful punch and laughed. Dudley laughed and pushed in to sit next to Blaise. They teased each other about their respective teams for a few minutes until they noticed that the cheers from the rest of the crowd had grown louder and saw that Madame Hooch was walking towards the middle of the field with her broom under her arm and a trunk floating along beside her.

"Here we go, here we go!" Angela cheered, screaming loudly as both Quidditch teams took to the field, zooming out from the separate staging area and starting their parade laps about the stadium. Dudley cheered.

"**Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season, Slytherin vs. Gryffindor!**" came the announcer's voice, from up in the teacher's box. Dudley glanced up towards it to see Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and most of the other teachers all sitting with a Gryffindor student, Lee Jordan. All Dudley knew was that Lee was a friend of the twins. The megaphone had to have a spell on it; it was very easy to hear Lee. "**The players take their positions as Madame Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game!**"

"First Quidditch match ever!" Dudley cheered, waving up at the green and scarlet robes players, hoping that Harry would see him. "Good luck, Harry! And GO SLYTHERIN!" He could hear cheers and chants, including "GO GO GRYFFINDOR, GO GO GRYFFINDOR!" from the scarlet clad supporters on the other side. Dudley felt his heart sink a tiny bit when he noticed the familiar figure of Hagrid sitting on the Gryffindor side, dressed in scarlet and waving a flag. Then Blaise knocked him in the shoulder and pointed down to the field. Madame Hooch had stopped in the center of the field. The cheers from the supporters grew louder.

The teams circled Madame Hooch in the center of the field. She adjusted her goggles on her eyes and looked up at the floating players. "Now. I want a nice, clean game. From ALL of you." She then kicked the trunk at her feet and it bounced open. Two black balls shot out of the trunk, followed by a tiny golden glint.

"The Snitch, the Snitch!" cheered Angela. Dudley cheered too, although he didn't quite know what for.

"**The Bludgers erupt - followed by the Golden Snitch!**" Lee announced; Dudley could hear the grin in his voice. He thought Lee sounded like a nice person. "**Remember, the Snitch is worth a hundred and fifty points. The Seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game!**"

_'So that's what Blaise meant__…_' Dudley thought to himself as he clapped. '_The game can only end when the Seeker catches the Snitch. Geez, that stinks._'

Madame Hooch then leaned forward, grabbed the last ball out of the trunk and lifted it up. As she stood up, she threw it into the air.

"**The Quaffle is released-**" Lee shouted excitedly and Dudley saw all the scarlet and green clad players explode with sudden dives and swipes and grabs - "**And the game begins!**"

Angela cheered, holding the binoculars up to her eyes and whipping her head about, trying to follow the action perfectly. Dudley thought that Quidditch was a very fast game.

"**And the Quaffle is immediately taken by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too-**"

"**JORDAN!**" cut in Professor McGonagall's voice. Dudley and all his friends broke out in sniggers and giggles.

"Keep your eyes on the match!" Blaise yelled at the box, grinning with mirth.

"**Sorry, Professor! And she's really belting along there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, only last year a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no! Stopped by an ****excellent move from Gryffindor Keeper Oliver Wood!**"

Dudley had to admit to himself, Quiddich was a lot more exciting than he had originally thought. He tried to follow the action while still keeping an eye on Harry. He took his eyes off of the action for one moment and-

"-**hit in the back of the head by a Bludger-**"

-Harry was flying high above the stadium, Dudley could see the sun glinting off of his glasses-

"-**come on, now, Angelina-**"

-Harry made a lap of the stadium-

"**GRYFFINDORS SCORE!**"

Cheers erupted from the Gryffindors while boos and howls flew up from the Slytherins. Dudley saw Harry clapping up on his broom, cheering.

"**And Slytherins take possession of the Quaffle - Fletchly passes to Captain Marcus Flint - he dodges a Bludger hit by either Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which, speeds towards the goal posts - he's going for a goal- AND BLOCKED BY OLIVER WOOD! Nice save, Wood! And Gryffindors take possession again!**"

Dudley groaned good-naturedly and kept his eyes on the action. He watched the Quaffle being tossed about, watched players charge each other, set up, go in and the Slytherins took possession of the Quaffle again.

"**Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell - speeds towards the - wait a minute, is that the Snitch?**"

Dudley saw it too - just for a moment, that flash of gold that flashed over Pucey's shoulder - with a thrill of excitement, he noticed that the Seekers had seen it too. Both Harry and the Slytherin Seeker dove at the same time. Everything seemed to stop as everyone watched the Seekers dive. Harry was slightly faster, he was pulling out ahead, he- he was blocked viscously by Captain Marcus Flint. The collision sent Harry off course, holding on for dear life. Dudley roared with rage with Gryffindors. Blaise elbowed him in the ribs, but Dudley didn't care. That was his cousin!

"FOUL!" screamed all of the Gryffindor supporters. And Madame Hooch agreed with them. After an angry word to Marcus, she set up the Gryffindor Chaser Alicia Spinnet for a free shot at the posts. But in all the confusion, the Golden Snitch had disappeared.

"That was amazing!" Angela gushed, watching Marcus through her binoculars. "What a showing of the classic Full Body Block! Not many Chasers will do that block, it's considered too dangerous for them! What guts!"

"How'd you know that?" Blaise asked, booing as Spinnet scored the free goal.

"I've been studying, of course!" Angela shouted, watching the action resume in the air. "Checked out nearly every single book on Quidditch I could get my hands on in the library!"

"**Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score- oh no****…**"

As the rousing cheers went up from the Slytherins, Dudley took his eyes off of the action again. He looked up at the sky, looking for Harry. What he saw made his heart stop. Harry was higher than anything…and his broom was jerking.

"Angela, is Harry's broom supposed to be doing that?" Dudley asked, jerking on Angela's sleeve.

"What?" she yelled back, eyes still glued to Marcus Flint.

"Harry!" Dudley yelled, grabbing the binoculars and forcing them upwards. "His broom! Is that normal?" Angela screamed. All of a sudden, everyone seemed to have noticed Harry, for his broom had started to roll. He didn't seem to be able to stop it.

"Harry!" Dudley yelled, standing up and grabbing Angela's binoculars from her. He looked through them and watched as Harry's broom gave a wild jerk. Harry flew off the front, just barely managing to hang on. Dudley felt his heart almost stop. What could he do, what could he do?! He watched as the Weasley twins flew up and tried to pull Harry to safety on their own brooms, but Harry's broom jerked him even higher and swung dangerously, so they dropped down and circled underneath him, obviously hoping to catch him. "The levitation charm won't work on broomsticks, would it?" Dudley asked desperately.

"Not at our level." Victor said in his quiet voice, watching the scene above them. "We're only First Years. We can't really affect magical objects yet."

Dudley heard the dings as someone threw the Quaffle through the goal posts. Nobody saw and Lee Jordan didn't comment on the score. Everyone watched with bated breath. Suddenly, Harry was able to climb back onto his broomstick. He swung his leg over and gripped it tightly. Dudley suddenly felt the need to breathe. He took a deep gasping breath, realizing that he had been holding it as Harry dangled in midair. Suddenly, Harry dove. The sudden movement made the supporters scream and Angela grabbed back her binoculars just as Harry hit the ground on all fours.

"What's happened, what's happened?" she shrieked, jamming the binoculars back onto her face. "What's happened?!"

Harry coughed once - twice - and something gold fell from his mouth into his outstretched hands.

"I'VE GOT THE SNITCH!"

And the crowd erupted. Madame Hooch could hardly be heard to blow her whistle to announce the end of the game.

"**GRYFFINDORS WIN, GRYFFINDORS WIN! ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY POINTS TO SIXTY! GRYFFINDORS WIN!**" Lee was shouting through the confusion. Captain Marcus Flint dove down to where Madame Hooch was standing on the field and threw a fit, screaming about how Harry hadn't caught the Snitch, he'd nearly swallowed it and that had to be against the rules. The Gryffindor supporters were cheering and emptying the stadium to march up towards the castle, chanting, "GO GO GRYFFINDOR, GO GO GRYFFINDOR!"

Dudley jumped up and without saying goodbye to anyone, pushed and elbowed his way through the crowd, fighting to make his way to the exit and to the changing rooms, hoping to catch Harry. He had to make sure he was alright. He'd promised Miranda. He'd promised her. And if Harry had been hurt or…he elbowed a Fifth Year particularly hard in the ribs and jumped down several stairs, racing for the exit. He made it to the changing room that he'd guessed was the Gryffindors changing area and panted for breath, knocking on the door. One of the twins opened the door, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, Dudley, right?" he asked. Dudley nodded, out of breath. "Looking for Harry?" Dudley nodded again. "Dunno where he went." the twin shrugged. "He isn't here. He's probably back up at the castle already; Madame Promfrey probably got to him. He was nearly choked on the Snitch and all."

Dudley nodded in thanks and started up the path to the castle, his legs already burning. He just had to make sure that Harry was alright. By the time he'd finally got back up to the castle, Blaise had caught up with him.

"Look, Dudley, do you think we could talk?" Blaise asked him, looking worried about something. Dudley shook his head.

"Can't." Dudley muttered. "I've got to find Harry."

"It'll only take a moment." Blaise assured him. Dudley shook his head.

"You want to talk, come with me. I'm heading for the hospital wing." Dudley said, turning down the right corridor. "I've got to make sure Harry's alright."

"He was standing, wasn't he?" Blaise quipped, but he leaped up the stairs and followed Dudley none-the-less. It was a few minutes before Blaise actually spoke again. "Dudley, are you…a Mudblood?"

"A what?" Dudley asked, glancing at Blaise with curiosity.

"A Mudblood." Blaise said, as if he should know what it was. And when Dudley didn't answer, he sighed. "A Muggleborn." Blaise muttered, looking down at the floor.

"Why?" Dudley asked, his face starting to burn. He'd already heard enough Muggle bashing from Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle and several others in the Slytherin common room when they didn't think they could be overheard. But this was a new term. Mudblood...

Blaise sighed, as if he didn't really want to be talking about this. "Just a bunch of things." he muttered, not taking his eyes off of the floor. "Never seen a Quidditch game, didn't know the rules, never been on a broomstick, talking about telephones and cars and things…"

Dudley took a deep breath. "Look, I'm from wizard stock, alright?" He didn't like lying. "It's just complicated."

"How complicated?"

Dudley stopped in the middle of the corridor. "Why? Why do you want to know?" Blaise stopped a few feet in front of him. He finally looked up and met Dudley's eyes.

"Because my family won't let me hang around Muggleborn Mudbloods." He said and his voice was deadly quiet. "I'd rather know now than later."

Dudley swallowed. He sighed. What should he say, what could he say? What could he say that didn't implicate his cousin too? He stood there, blinking. He couldn't find his words.

"Well?" Blaise demanded. "Are you?"

Dudley blinked, staring at him.

Blaise's face fell. "I knew it." he said quietly. Then he turned and walked away from Dudley, leaving him standing in the corridor, mouth slightly open. Dudley didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to do. His stomach was twisting and knotting and his heart felt like it was being squeezed and constricted and he couldn't breathe right. He felt his heart pounding faster and faster and -

"BOO!" came a shout from behind him. Dudley let out a strangled yell, drawing his wand and firing off a jinx at the speaker before he could see them. He watched as the jinx passed harmlessly through the spectral body of Peeves who then blew a raspberry at him and shot off down the corridor, cackling the whole way. Dudley stood there, shaking for a moment, before sitting down on the corridor floor and bursting into tears. He hadn't cried in years. He hadn't thrown a fit in years. He thought he'd never do so again. But here he was, on the stone cold floor of an empty corridor, sobbing like the six-year-old boy who had just realized he would't be seeing his Mother or Father again for a very long time. He sat there for a long time, even after he ran out of tears. Just sitting there and thinking.

* * *

It was later that evening when Dudley finally returned to the Slytherin Common Room. He looked about the room, hoping to see Blaise. He spotted him, talking near the fireplace with Draco. Dudley almost turned and walked out of the Common Room, but steeled his resolve.

"Blaise!" he shouted across the Common Room, raising his hand and waving to Blaise who looked up at him with surprise. "Oy, Blaise!"

Draco and Blaise exchanged a look.

"Blaise, we need to talk!"

"Fine!" Blaise shouted back and with a quick muttered word to Draco, walked across the room to Dudley. "What?" he muttered, not meeting Dudley's eye.

"Blaise, we have to talk. I…I need to tell you something."

"You don't have to tell me anything." Blaise grumbled, turning away. "If that's all-"

"No, it's not." Dudley said and with a sudden burst of speed, he grabbed Blaise's arm and yanked him from the Common Room and out into the corridor.

"Dursley, what the Bloody Hell-?!"

Dudley felt Blaise trying to break free, but keep his steely grip on Blaise's arm. He was surprised by his own strength. He yanked and pulled until he had found an empty room and pushed Blaise into it, shutting the door behind them. Blaise lashed out at him and Dudley dodged the punch easily.

"Look!" Dudley yelled. "I just want to talk!"

"About what, Mudblood?" Blaise spat, massaging his upper arm and glaring at Dudley. "Whatever it is, make it quick!"

"I wasn't lying about coming from wizard stock." Dudley glowered. "I'm Potter's cousin, right?"

"So?" Blaise snapped.

"So I'm not Muggle-born!" Dudley yelled. He was getting angrier and angrier. "I was raised by a Squib who passes for a Muggle because of what my family did to me and Harry!"

Blaise's eyes sparked. "What?" he said, his eyebrows raising. "You were raised by a Squib? Because of your family?"

"Yes." Dudley said angrily. "Look, Blaise. I'm trusting you, okay? I've never told anyone this. EVER." Blaise didn't answer, just nodded. "My parents…were abusive, okay?" Dudley said fiercely, looking Blaise directly in the eye. "There's a reason I don't like bullies, Blaise. I was raised by one."

Blaise stood there, blinking at Dudley.

"My Dad was a bully and abusive, Blaise. He…did awful things to me and Harry. So, yeah, we were lucky Miranda was chosen for us. She knew just enough to look for the signs in case…" Dudley swallowed. This was hard. "…in case my father hadn't beaten it out of us."

Blaise's face was no longer angry. It was…blank.

"So that's why I don't know about Quidditch. That's why I was never on a broom. That's why I know all this Muggle stuff and all." Dudley felt himself deflating with Blaise's stare. "I'm not a Muggleborn. I was just raised like one." He felt sick. "Please try to understand, Blaise. You're…you're the best friend I've got here."

Blaise stepped forward, trying to meet Dudley's eyes. "So…so…"

"So?" Dudley said, preparing for a defense.

"So…you're related to the Potters and the Plumridges." Blaise said, seeming to cast about for something to anchor him. "You've got wizards in your family."

"And I'm here, ain't I?" Dudley demanded, drawing himself up. "I got accepted here. I'm here and I'm a WIZARD!" Dudley screamed this, letting loose that primal feeling of feeling like he didn't belong, of wondering when he'd be sent back home, of the teachers realized they'd made a mistake and he'd have to go back-

"Yeah." Blaise said quietly. "Yeah. You're here."

"Isn't that good enough?" Dudley said very quietly, his throat suddenly hurting.

Blaise was silent for a moment. "Yeah. It is." he said with a sudden conviction. "Anyone who says otherwise can shove it." Blaise held out his hand. Dudley grabbed it and they shook hands. It felt like a vow, something unbreakable between them. "Friends?"

"Friends." Dudley agreed, grinning. He felt lighter than he had in weeks. "Thanks."

Blaise shrugged. "Let's get out of here." he said, heading for the classroom door. "I've got to tell Malfoy something."

"I hope you're telling him where his head is." Dudley grinned, following him. At Blaise's questioning look, Dudley's grin got wider. "Up his butt."

Blaise burst out laughing and when Dudley joined in, they made the dungeons rang with their laughter. It was so loud that it woke the Bloody Baron who followed them back down the corridor in a very foul mood indeed.

* * *

Author's Notes: This was a bit difficult to write, but I love the result. I really hope you enjoyed it. Thank you!

BTW - You really should check out this awesome book. "Timeless Rose" by K.A. Greeenough on lulu dot com and goodreads dot com. My best friend wrote it and finally got it published, so check it out cause it's amazing story!


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